Decepticon's Promise
by ebonygrayqueen
Summary: Pre ROTF, On rout to earth, Sideswipe and the Arcees made a friend, her planet and people were destroyed by the Decepticons, and earth may be the only chance she has to have a life again.Only one problem...the Decepticons are still after her...please R/R
1. Chance Encounters

**I do not in any way shape or form own any of the rights to the transformers-dam wish I did! **

**Warning: this is my first time playing around with the transformers characters, while I loved the cartoon, I am not full up to date on all of the lore, so if you see a mistake please feel free to correct me! **

**Please Read and Rate, the more Ratings, the more I find an excuse to procrastinate on the homework and work on this! Hugs all!! Enjoy!**

For the first time Tara wondered if this was such a good idea. She trusted the four machines that she had rescued in space, but had it been smart to promise that she would try life on the planet that they were heading to? Too late now that she stood next to them in a dark field waiting for the rest of their kind to come and find them. She glanced warily at the machine next to her, he was kind and willing to listen to her when she had needed someone to cry to about the loss of her family. Her plant had been a profitable Mecca in the distant stars, had been one of the leaders in technology, and had been the only home she had ever known. Then the Decepticons had attacked several years ago. In a sacrificial act to save as many lives as they could, Tera's mother and father-the queen and king-had drawn the focus of the Decepticons attack and lost their lives. Tera along with several others had made the mad dash to reach the star ships, and several of them had made it past the Decepticons that were in orbit. But Tera had never heard from them again.

That had been several light years ago, Tera had been alone until she responded to a faint distress call from an unknown origin. With trepidation she answered the summons, and found the four Autobots that she now stood beside. They had been dangerously low on energy, and didn't have any means to protect or propel themselves along in space, they were dead in the water-so to speak. The reason that Tera's home world had been targeted by the Decepiticons was that her kind didn't give off waist products like most carbon based life forms. Their waste product was energy that was easily stored in crystals until it could be used. The only problem was that in the rush to get off planet the only crystal that Tera had been able to take with her was the one that she always wore around her neck-the one her father had given to her on her last birthday. It was full. It was against her kind to be violent, or cruel so Tera had not been able to cast away the extra energy into space where it had the potential to do damage-she believed to firmly in the laws of matter, the one in particular about everything having an equal and opposite reaction.

So when she came across the four robots in desperate need for energy she had welcomed them on her ship. She saved their lives by giving them energy, and they saved hers by taking the energy that she had been storing in herself-at great personal risk-and most importantly she wasn't alone anymore. When the Autobots told her of their destination, she had agreed to take them there, and even to join them-though now she wished she had said she would think about it.

The planet they had chosen to travel to was cold, well it was dark, so Tera hoped that it would be warmer when the planet rotated and got some warmth from the nearby sun. The three sisters-Arcee, Moonracer, and Chromia-and Sideswipe stood next to her, surveying the land around them.

"I hope I put in the correct coordinates for the landing." Tera's voice fell in to the silence. She could practically feel the excitement radiating off of the four transformers, they were here to meet up with old friends and allies. She had never felt more out of place.

Chromia shifted to face Tera, and gave her a smile, "from what we have heard of this planet you will like it to."

"Everything except that fact that the Decepitcons are here." Tera said under her breath. Sideswipe shot her a look and she smiled innocently at the taller bot. Truly Tara had felt bad for Sideswipe on the journey to earth, he had been the most cramped on the space ship. The triplets, being about the same height as Tera, had been able to explore the ship, while Sideswipe had been mainly confined to the cargo bay. But Tera had made sure that she spent as much time with him as possible so he wouldn't feel left out. While the triplets were entertaining with their acrobatic antics about the ship, it was comforting for Tera so go listen to Sideswipe tell stories of life on his home planet.

Light began to shine on the crest of the rise before them, Tera raised a hand to shield her sensitive eyes, and frowned. There were several land vehicles approaching, and in them were bipeds not unlike herself. She couldn't make out much more then the shape with the light approaching them, and Tera was suddenly terrified. It was foolish of her to assume that the natural inhabitants of this planet would look as she did, yes they were also carbon based according to the Autobots, but there were so many different variations! Ducking as fast as she could Tera hid behind Sideswipe who cast her a questioning glance, but said nothing when she waved her hand at him. She allowed herself a split second to be grateful that her ship was already on its way to an orbit-and didn't need to be explained, before the panic set in fully. Who was to say that these bipeds would accept her?

The approaching vehicles stopped a few feet away, and Tera watched from behind Sideswipe as the bipeds climbed out of the large dark, yellow, and the largest of all-the blue and red vehicle. The bipeds here were shorter then she was, and their skin was pale-not the light blue tint her skin was, her hair was a rich cobalt blue. Tera focused on the leader of the bipeds, and tapped into her crystal reserves, the warm tingling of power flowed through her body, allowing her to change her appearance. She shrank several palm lengths, and altered her skin tone to a pale tan, her hair she shifted to a lighter tan, leaving only her eyes their normal color. Her ears-normally elongated with gentle points, shrank-Tera wondered if her hearing would be affected by that alteration, but couldn't dwell on it.

There was nothing to look in to see if she had gotten the proportions correct, or if she looked all right with the new alterations. It had taken a mere few seconds to transformer appearance from normal to alien. Tera paused for a moment as she thought of that word…alien… that's all she would ever be now, there was no home to return to, no family waiting for her at the end of a long journey. She was an alien, on an foreign planet, hoping to beg hospitality from those who ruled here. She fought back the tears that burned her eyes, and closed her throat, squared her smaller shoulders and stepped from around Sideswipe.

She had missed the transformation of the vehicles into more Autobots-much larger then the ones she was so used to seeing. Granted now everything was larger to her, she frowned, her clothes were different then the bipeds before her, and now they didn't fit well, she would have to look into new clothes-the ones she had on the ship wouldn't fit her new form either. Forcing a smile she couldn't think of such trivial matters, she had to meet a new species.

The largest of the new Autobots regarded her silently for a moment, before directing a question at Sideswipe. "Your new friend is?"

Blessed be Chromia who had cast a fast glance at Tera and come to the correct interpretation, "She saw us land, and we weren't sure of the policy yet for interactions with humans, we thought it be best that she not leave until we were sure it was safe." As thought to prove Tera was safe to be around, Chromia rolled behind the girl, and rested a hand on her now lower shoulder. "She seems safe enough Prime, can she come with us? At least for a little bit, its to late at night for us to send her on her way now."

Optimus regarded the two figures in silence. The human with dark hair frowned. "I am not sure what the protocol is as of yet, NEST hasn't official set up any guidelines." His face was grim, but he extended his hand to Tera. Who stared at it blankly, until Chromia gave her a none to gentle nudge.

"Thank you masters…I am honored to be here." It was a perfectly normal way to show respect on her home world, but evidently it was not normal for here.

The dark haired man exchanged a look with the dark skinned man beside him. "The honor…is all mine." Tera gently placed her small hand in his gloved one, then froze, not sure what to do. "I am Captain Lenox, this is Epps."

Tera nodded, still holding his hand, unsure of what came next in the traditional form of greeting.

Lenox stared at her for a moment longer, "And your name would be?"

Chromia whispered behind her, "the short version" so low that Tera was sure she was the only one to hear it. "Tera Skyhaven." Was all she could get out, her throat threatened to close on the last.

Lenox nodded again, and finally dropped her hand, Tera froze, uncertain again. "If you will follow us we can show you to command, its still just getting set up, so it may be a bit cramped for a little while, but trust us, your help is appreciated."

For the first time Tera was able to appreciate the beauty of the Autobots transforming, on the ship they had been so cramped and contained it had been hard for them all to be in their Autobot form at once and together, now watching them interact with others of their kind Tera was grateful that she hadn't come across larger ones! The sisters and Sideswipe looked odd in their exoskeleton shape next to the others with their bright colors, but still beautiful in an alien way. Tera straddled Moonracer, and held on for the ride. In spite of her original concern, she hadn't landed that far from the NEST base of operations that was being formed. As they rode, Tera tapped the bracelet on her left hand, it had been a gift from her mother when she had finished building her ship. It was a sort of remote tracker that would alert Tera if anything happened to the ship, and it also allowed her to call it to her if she needed it. The jewels on it were an intricate pattern of diamonds, sapphire and tanzanite that hid its true purpose, to anyone that looked at it, it appeared a simple bracelet, to Tera it was her means of escape if she needed it.

As they raced over the silent landscape Tera was grateful that she was not alone in this strange world. She would have to explain to the leader of the Autobots about her energy discharge, and her true origins. But she knew little of the native species of this planet, and was grateful that she would not have to disclose any information to them at the start, she would prefer to get to know them before having to trust them with her true identity. A smile slowly spread across her face when she saw Chromia driving so close to the large black vehicle, she had heard enough from the bot on the trip their about her interest in Ironhide, and was able to connect the dots. She had friends, and she was safe, for the moment that was all she could ask for in the uncertain universe.


	2. NEST base

**Come on guys don't be shy, please review the story… you know you want to =)**

The next few days past in a blur of activity for Tera and the newest members of NEST. The base was still being designed, and the hanger that the Autobots were assigned to was still under construction, not that that kept them out of it. Tera was assigned a room-little more then a closet really, that was at the back of the hanger. She was given military clothing, camo pants and white shirts to wear around the base. Optimus took care of all the arrangements for her, which Tera was grateful for, she still didn't know what to think of the bipeds on this planet.

Their first night at the base Optimus called a meeting for all the Autobots, much to Tera's joy, she was invited. She approached the group of robots with some trepidation in her mind, her new clothes were scratchy, and different then what she was used to, but fit her new form better then her old ones. She smiled and fawned over the sisters "upgrades" as they called them, and applauded when each one demonstrated their transformation from motorcycle to their other form. Chromia in particular needed reassurances that the upgrade looked all right, and Tera assured her that Ironhide would enjoy the flash of color that the bot was now displaying. Sideswipe was far more modest about his upgrade, and was nervous about weather or not Tera approved, which she did, and she complimented especially on the sleek design of the car he had chosen. She wasn't sure if robots could blush, but if they could Sideswipe did.

When Optimus called the meeting to order, Tera took a seat on the ground in front of Sideswipe, which gave her a view of all the Autobots-especially Ironhide who did indeed like Chromia's new look. It gave her a sense of security that Sideswipe had her back. Optimus made a simple speech of greeting and gave the new arrivals a little bit of what had taken place on Earth since their arrival. Tera was a rapt audience as she heard about the battle for the Allspark, she shivered when the Decepitcons were mentioned, and cried when she heard of the loss of Jazz. Sideswipe and Arcee had spoken fondly of the Autobot, and she was sure he would be missed. Then Optimus turned the conversation to what was to be expected of their team and what to expect from the humans.

Tera's people had been against fighting, to the point that her parents had sacrificed themselves to prevent their people from having to make the choice of raise arms against the Decepticons or suffer their mercy. So listening to the Autobots talk about war strategies, and battle plans was a little nauseating to Tera, but she did listen, and saved everything that she heard for later contemplations. As the meeting was about to wrap up Optimus looked at Tera thoughtfully for a few seconds, she could read the questions that played across his face, 'what to do about her'. Sideswipe had explained how they had met and traveled together, Arcee, Chromia and Moonchaser filled in the gaps in the narrative, letting Tera simply listen. She swallowed hard when she realized that she wouldn't be that lucky a second time.

"I have heard that your kind makes energy, could you demonstrate that for us Tera?" Optimus asked.

Tera stood, and glanced behind her for a moment, Sideswipe nodded encouragingly to her. Demonstrate energy, how was she to do that? Tera stood stock still for a few seconds while her mind raced, she focused on something she had never seen before in her life, a butterfly. She froze the image in her minds eye, and covered her right hand over the crystal that rested just above the swell of her breasts. Eyes close she pictured the butterfly, and enlarged it, enhanced the plain colors she had seen on it-adding purple and blue tints to delicate wings. She lengthened the lower wings and gave the butterfly long trailing tendrils that would float gently in the breeze, when Tera opened her eyes only a few moments had gone by, but she had the image that she wanted. When she dropped her right hand out before her the butterfly she had imagined floated above her hand. Tera frowned a little, and added a few more drops of power to make it larger, then with a gentle puff of a breath she sent if floating around room.

There was hardly any effort to mention in creating the butterfly, but it contained energy and that energy could still be used and felt by another. The Autobots watched in wonder for a few moments as the butterfly floated around each of them, its transparent wings flapping lazily. When it reached Arcee she reached out to the creation and touched a part of its tail, the instant she touched it the butterfly disappeared, and Arcee absorbed its energy.

"Party pooper" Chromia mumbled from where she stood next to Ironhide.

Arcee smiled at her, "hey energy is energy, and that was tingly!"

Optimus regarded the girl for a few moments before speaking. "The extra energy that you create, where does it go?"

"We can store some of it in crystals, like this one," she placed her hand over her crystal again, "but the excess energy must be used. It can heal wounds, it power cities or star ships, but if I keep to much, I run the risk of injury to my self. The energy is very potent, if it isn't used, it will find its own way out, I could reach for a tool and shoot a bolt of lighting at it instead, or if I contain too much and was jarred for any reason…lets just say it isn't pleasant."

"So if you hold to much, you can no longer control it?" Optimus asked her making sure to keep any judgment from his voice.

Tera was thoughtful for a few moments, considering his question, "the only way that I loose control of it, is if I loose my concentration or consciousness. Usually there are plenty of ways to use the energy, the only reason I was at risk in space was that I was generating more then the ship needed."

"How much energy do you generate?" Ratchet asked.

Tera cocked her head in thought; she didn't know what the power units were yet for energy on this planet, so she would have to give a rough guess. "I could easily provide enough power to power this base, and have enough left over to manage myself, and take care of any wounds myself or others around me receive-depending on the severity of the wound of coarse."

There was a profound silence that met that statement, as though the very air was holding its breath. Tera glanced nervously around herself, not sure what she had said that was wrong.

Optimus was the first to speak, and only the long silence, "well it is good to know ones limits."

Tera stared at him blankly but said nothing further. The meeting was soon adjurned after that. The Autobots that were assigned to patrol with the NEST team headed out, and the remainder went to explore the base, Tera went to her room.

Ironhide, Optimus and Ratchet hung back to have a quite conversation. They said nothing for a few moments, waiting for the rest to scatter. "Can we trust her?" Ironhide said, cutting strait to the meat and bones of the issue.

Optimus was silent, waiting for the others opinions. "She did bring the others to us, and save their sparks, I will withhold judgment at the moment, but do we have a choice?"

"Our choice is trust her, and let her stay-and continue to let the humans think she is nothing more then one of them. We could reveal her for what she is, but who knows what the humans would do with something capable of creating the raw energy that she claims she can." Ironhide stated. He could never thank Tera enough for bring Chromia back to him, but he had to put personal feelings aside, and focus on what was best for the team.

"There is another option." Optimus said, hating the words he spoke, "her ship is still in orbit, we could ask her to leave."

Ratchet nodded, Ironhide shook his head, "she said her kind was destroyed, there is nothing left for her in space, and she would die with nothing to transfer her energy to. That's not an option."

"We are already sworn to protect this planet, we cannot do something that would break that vow." Optimus reminded the others.

They were silent for a moment, each coming to their own conclusions. "What if we give it a kind of trial run, let her stay for a set amount of time, and reevaluate. Maybe at the end of that time she would be willing to come forward to the humans with what she is." Ratchet knew even as he suggested it that there were holes in his plan.

"If the humans found out that she had lied to them, they would never trust her again." Ironhide stated, "and there is a large risk too herself, she is vulnerable to attack, what happens if the Decepticons attack the base? She has no weapons training, and from how pale she got when you were discussing battle strategies, its fair to say she doesn't have the strongest stomach."

"If she is a wound healer, she has a stronger stomach then you are giving her credit for." Ratchet interjected. "But you have a point, she is defenseless."

Optimus nodded, "she would never be able to be alone, one of us would always have to be with her to protect her. And that would limit our services to NEST." He sighed long and weary, "any angle that this is approached at is difficult. She will stay for now, but we will have to keep a guard with her, and will readdress this situation at a later date. Meeting adjourned."

***************************************************

Lennox climbed nimbly behind the wheel of the sand rail and rested his hands against the cold hard rubber. It had been a long time since he was in a vehicle that couldn't drive itself, he wondered if he was still capable of it. The key turned, and the ignition hummed, his hand was on the stick shift and half way out of park when the passenger door opened. One glance told him who the new occupant was, and he glared at Epps. Lennox had hoped to be alone, to get some time to think, trust a friend to interrupt that time.

"Thought you could use some company, noticed you were planning to take the outermost perimeter tonight, that's a long lonely road alone." Epps commented as he put on his seatbelt and stared strait ahead.

It would have been useless to point out that the very reason Lennox had assigned himself the outer perimeter was to be alone, so he shifted to drive and pulled out. The drive started all right, meaning Epps let Lennox brood, but after a half hour of silence Epps spoke his mind. "You can't keep running from your emotions man. Amanda was a great lady, and I know it hurts like hell that you lost her, but come on man. You got to talk about it."

Lennox glared at his friend, he knew what Epps was saying was true, but didn't want to admit it. Amanda had been his life, they had been married for only a few short years, and she had given him their beautiful daughter, who now lived with his parents. But six short months ago his wife had been died, she had a miscarriage with their second child and the medics couldn't get her blood to clot. Her and the baby had been lost. Lennox refused to talk about it, and thought of it as little as possible. He focused on the mission, focused on NEST, and keeping the world safe. It was the only way that he could protect his daughter-to keep fighting.

Epps glanced at his friend, "William, man I have know you a long ass time, and this isn't like you."

Lennox jammed his foot on the break, throwing both of them hard against their seat belts and stopping the car in a cloud of dust. "What do you want me to do Robert? Cry? You want me to break down every chance I get and just let out my emotions? Well I cant-the only thing that I can do to honor Amanda's memory is to work my ass off to protect our daughter, and the only way that I know how to do that is to do what I am doing."

"Hey man, chill, don't get all emotional diarrhea on me, I just wanted to tell you to not be emotionally constipated, just chill man." Epps said, holding his hand up in a placating manner.

"You wanted me to talk about my feelings, well guess what, I don't feel anymore! There is nothing left to feel! I had love, I lost it. End of story." He threw the car in to drive and gunned the gas pedal.

"Your wrong man, your wrong, just take some time off maybe. Take a break, you need to clear your head."

"That's the last thing that I need to do, I need to work." Lennox didn't bother to look at his friend as he drove. They spend the rest of the night in an uncomfortable silence.


	3. Fracture and Overcast

**So its me again, and I am just wondering when someone is going to write a review!! Come on you know you want to, everyone is doing it-ok I know peer pressure is bad, but come on give in!**

**This chapter was my first attempted at a fight scene, so give me some hints for later, tell me what you liked so I have something to aim for in later fight scenes! Thanks =)**

For three days nothing happened at the NEST base. The new Autobots settled into the routine of watches, both over the surrounding area, and the more subtle watch that was set up over Tera. As far as the Autobots could tell, she remained unaware of their intentions. As the days passed she grew more comfortable with the rest of the Autobots, thought she remained loyal to the ones she knew from space. Ratchet fascinated her, and she was capable of sitting for hours watching him work on the others. With Ratchet focused on Tera it gave Sideswipe too many options to plan pranks to execute later against the medic. The only time that Tera got to spend with Ironhide was when he was with Chromia, the two were inseparable now, and it made Tera happy to know that she had helped to reunite them. Optimus was curious about her home plant, and asked the most difficult questions for her to answer. He was interested in the generation of power, and Tera had never fully understood it herself. She simply knew that she did it. The longer she spent with the great leader of the Autobots, the more she respected and liked him.

Tera's interactions with the twins were brief, and even that was painful for her. They seemed insistent that she needed to learn English the correct way, she in turn was firm in the fact that Sideswipe had taught her all of earths languages on their journey, and that according too him, and every other Autobot, she spoke the language fine. They didn't believe her, and kept trying to teach her the slang words that made up most of their vocabulary. Tera was to the point where when she saw them coming, she hid.

Her interactions with the humans were few and far between, but from what she saw of them, she was intrigued. They did not have a royal family, but it was evident that there was some sort of hierarchy at play. For all her curiosity about the humans she was still wary of them. They seemed overly fond of war and fighting, and therefore were not to be trusted. And yet when she saw them laughing and joking with one another, a part of her ached. She missed that sort of easy connection with another. The Autobots were amazing, and wonderful, but they couldn't hug her the way her family had. Couldn't hold her hand, or stroke her hair when she was upset, and she missed that casual contact. Not that she would ever mention it to the Autobots, but sometimes she just wanted to be normal again, and fit in, not be so alien.

****************************************************************

The alarm sounded in the dead of night, a high-pitched siren that alerted everyone on the base to the imminent attack. Suddenly the night was full of shouted orders, revved engines and danger. Tera stood in the doorway to her room and watched the excitement as the Autobots were informed of the nature of the attack. There was the possibility that a Decepticon was in England, and the team was going to investigate it. In one moment her world had gone from safe to scary. She clung to the doorway not sure what to do, or if she could do anything to help.

Lennox shot a glance at the girl standing in the doorway before turning his attention back to the Autobots. "I want wheels up in fifteen minutes, there are three planes directly to the north of this hanger, when you are ready convene at them."

Optimus nodded and remained silent until Lennox had moved on to another group, then he turned to Ratchet, "who will stay behind?"

Ironhide shook his head, he was itching for some action and wanted to prove to Chromia that he hadn't lost his touch. Ratchet was always needed incase someone needed a quick repair, Mudflap and Skidz were able to annoy Tera to tears so they had to go. Arcee, Moonchaser and Chromia had all expressed a need for action, as had Sideswipe. Optimus contemplated for one moment himself staying behind, but knew it wasn't an option. "Arcee, would you mind staying behind?"

The Autobot nodded, but Optimus knew she wasn't happy. Arcee rolled towards Tera as the others headed to the planes.

"You don't want to go?" Tera asked the robot next to her.

Arcee watched with envious optical circuits as the others left the hanger, "nah kid, someone has to make sure you don't burn the place down."

Tera regarded the Autoobot for a moment then smiled. "I know where Ratchet keeps the good oil, if you're up for a challenge."

There was a wicked glean in Arcee's optics as she led the way to Ratche's corner of the nearly complete hanger.

_At least one of them is safe_. Tera thought to herself. She knew she wouldn't get any rest until the others returned to base. Having lost one family already, nothing was going to take away her new family.

Lennox embraced the danger of the mission like a lost lover. This was what he lived for, the excitement, the danger, the thrill, and the distraction. It was a long plane ride to England, and he was not looking forward to Epps wanting to talk to him more about his feelings. Luckily Epps was as sleepy as the rest of the men, and decided to spend the flight in the half awake, half asleep state that only marines seemed able to accomplish. For all intensive purposes they were asleep, but at the slightest alteration in noise on the plane and they would be awake with weapons at the ready.

Lennox alone was fully awake, he had found that sleep was only needed when the body was exhausted and it was better to not risk the dreams that accompanied sleep. He shifted his shoulder to a slightly more comfortable position and did his best to keep his mind clear, they would arrive soon and he needed to be focused.

The Autobots all traveled in car form, to make more room for their human companions. Most of the team spent the journey preserving their energy. With Tera around, energy was not a problem; all of them had enjoyed a reenergizing boost before they boarded the planes. But it was still best to go into a battle with as much as possible. Optimus couldn't keep his thoughts quiet, he worried about leaving Tera behind with only Arcee to protect her, not that the small bot wasn't capable of taking care of herself and Tera; Optimus feared that the Decepticons would attack the base. If the Decepticons had enough man power on this planet to stage two separate attacks, the NEST was in over its head. The base was still under construction, and the humans and Autobots were still learning to fighting together. Lennox had put his career, and his life on the line several times for the Autobots. Optiums tried again to quite his thoughts for the remainder of the journey, best to arrive refreshed and in the moment, not worried about what was going on at base several hundred miles away.

The two Decepticons sat in wait at the airport that they knew the military team would land at. It was the only airport with a long enough runway to accommodate the size of plane that the NEST team would surly be taking. They had made a mess of a city not far from the airport; it had been a quiet country style place that made most of its income on tourist hoping to escape the hustle and bustle of the larger cities. Now it was a smoldering ruin. Their plan of attack was simple-they had been ordered to evaluate the newest arrivals to the Autobots team. Fracture shifted to a more comfortable position, she was just itching for a good fight. Next to her Overcast shifted away, he still preferred solitude to being part of a team, but orders were orders.

Fracture turned to him, "remember our main mission is to simply get specs on the new arrivals, engage if necessary, but get the Intel first."

Overcast simply nodded, he didn't need reminders; he just wanted this mission over with. They watched the night sky in silence for several hours, awaiting the arrival of the Autobot convoy. It was near dawn when they saw the lights coming towards them in the sky. Both Decepticons readied their weapons. Fracture prepared her seismic energy dischargers, while Overcast prepped his fusion cannon. Both watched in silence as the planes landed and began to taxi.

Fracture couldn't sit still, she had to move, she had to attack, her body began to quiver with anticipation. Next to her Overcast was still as stone, his full attention on the mission, and the planes before him. They watched as the first of the three planes opened its cargo bay doors and a large black truck rolled out, fully loaded with humans in the bed.

"That's Ironhide." Fracture whispered needlessly, Overcast knew who it was. The black truck was followed by a small sleek silver car and two motorcycles one blue and one green. "Ahh the new arrivals." Fracture smiled as she watched the two motorcycles circle around the silver car, the blue one came to a rest next to the black truck, the other near the silver car. "Who do you suppose they are?" Fracture was capable off keeping up a conversation with her self so Overcast let her.

From the second planes cargo bay came the large semi truck and the bright yellow medical vehicle. Fracture sucked in a breath in an audible hiss at the sight of Optimus Prime. "I say we attack now, while they are in a more vulnerable form."

Overcast glared at her, "Our orders were simple-do not engage unless we have to. We don't stand a chance alone against them."

Fracture ignored him, "I want a chance at the big guy, lets go!" Without further warning Fracture began firing, forcing Overcast to join her.

Lennox was barely off the plane when the first explosion shook the ground. Instinct gave way to training, as he drew his gun, and looked for cover. Part of his brain noticed that his men were seeking shelter to return fire, and that the Autobots were transforming to attack. He ducked his head behind the crates that hid his body when a blast exploded in front of his hiding spot, showering him with debris. Why hadn't he ordered the pilots to scan the area before they landed? He cursed himself, then peeked over the top of his hiding spot. Ebbs was still in the plane firing from an odd angle, he was laying inside the plane with only his head and firing arm showing on the walkway.

Ratchet had transformed and taken up a defensive position, providing cover fire to the men whom had moments ago been riding on Ironhide. Chromia and Ironhide were leading a charge, closely followed by Sideswipe and Optimus. Lennox was thankful again that the Autobots were on their side. He ejected the clip from his handgun and jammed another in, then holstered the gun and went for the rifle strung across his back. He settled the rifle in a comfortably familiarly way against his shoulder before looking over his barricade again. He didn't have enough time to jump away from the crates as a blast from the Decepitcons struck the opposite side of the crates he was flung several feet in the air before landing hard on his left shoulder. He didn't feel it dislocate, but he gasped when he heard his muscles tearing. He rolled to the other side, and struggled to his feet, hurt or not, he still needed cover. Lennox raised his gun with is right arm only, his left arm hung useless at his side, he ran for what ever cover he could find, firing the whole way.

Ironhide was ecstatic to be in battle again with Chromia at his side, he transformed in mid air after a slight jump from a rise in the road, and landed with his cannons out and at the ready. He focused on the slightly larger of the two Decepiticons, firing and dodging blasts while Chromia transformed and joined the attack. Optimus skidded and transformed on the slide, then used that momentum to carry him into the smaller Decepiticon, who was firing the more dangerous weapon. He dodged a blast from her seismic energy dischargers, and fired several rounds from his own cannon. She managed to dodge the first few blasts, but the fifth hit her in the left hip region, and she went down. Sideswipe transformed and leapt into the fight, dawning his lethal blades and attacking the struggling Decepiticon. Together Optimus and Sideswipe made short work of the smaller Decepticon, and finished to find Ironhide and Chromia waiting. Ironhide gave Optimus a grin and asked, "What took you so long?"

The Autobots gathered up the fallen Decepiticons and headed back to the planes, the casualties on their side were few, Chromia had taken a glancing blow, which was easily fixed, and Moonchaser had a hole through part of her covering-more cosmetic then anything else, but it gave her something to focus on and complain about. The humans were not so lucky; several had been caught unaware and had suffered injuries.

Lennox stood surveying his men, his face was set in grim lines, he was clenching his teeth to keep from crying out in his own pain. He had to be strong for his men. The pain served another function too; it gave him a physical discomfort to focus on.

They stayed on the ground long enough for Lennox and Epps to communicate with the British branch that would be joining NEST. Agent Graham was only too happy for their help, and expressed his excitement for their working together. The conversation was brief, and they were back in the air before long.

Epps bided his time, waiting until the men were either asleep again or sedated on pain meds from their injuries, "So are you going to have the medics take a look at that shoulder?"

Lennox shot a look at his old friend, an action that had him twist his neck, and therefore his shoulder muscles. He grimaced before he was able to school his features, "it's nothing, just fell kind of hard, bruised."

"Ya, and I am going to believe that. I saw you fall man, I know you must of broken something, or torn at least." Epps pushed.

Lennox closed his eyes, "leave it be Epps, its not that bad."

Epps stared at Lennox, knowing the other man was faking sleep, he shook his head and stood, he knew Lennox was injured, but to tell the medic would be to undermine the others authority. Their group was to new for him to do that to his old friend, at this point they hadn't been with the men long enough for them to know much about their commanding officer other then his reputation. And that was one thing that Epps had to respect.


	4. Instincts

**Sorry for the delay all, had a stupid test in med surg to study for…only got a 92%...not happy! **

**Okie dokie, I know people are reading this…so pretty please write a review? Pretty please with sugar and cherries on top? **

**Thank you! Enjoy!**

The return of the Autobots with only minor injuries was hard enough for Tera to deal with, she didn't know how she would handle it if something more then that happened. It was hard enough for her to see the humans return with so many injuries, she didn't want to think of the alternative. Arcee hid her disappointment at not being in the fight well, but Tera still felt it. She saw the way that Arcee listened to the stories the others told, and felt sorry that the robot had been there with her at the same time she felt guilty that she was happy the robot had been safe.

Tera was with Moonchaser when she got her repairs from Ratchet, and she fussed over how fantastic a job he had done to make her feel better. Laying it on thick enough to make Ratchet blush, but not to over the top as to be insincere. Moonchaser appreciated it all the same. And when Chromia went to get her bodywork done Tera was with her as was Ironhide. She listened to the stories they told and cringed at the parts they loved the most. For the next few days Tera planned on keeping all of them in her sights. She was still fearful of loosing them, any of them, even the twins-who she preferred out of earshot, but still within her range of vision. They were like cousins that you had to love cause they were family, and in there own way-from a very far distance, they were tolerable.

It wasn't until the following day that Tera felt the pull of her energies. One of her brothers had focused his efforts purely on the art of healing with energy. He had dedicated his life to making others better, and had been the best doctor on their planet. When Tera was a young child she would often follow him around and try to learn what she could from him. He would have called what she felt a healers pull, it meant that someone near her needed medical attention, but was resisting it, or didn't realize that they needed it. She followed the mental tug to the hanger doorway and stared out. There were several humans outside, some heading to training sessions, some were in groups just talking and others still were working on the planes and other equipment that was outside on the tarmac. She cast one last look inside the hanger to see where her beloved Autobots were before heading out among the humans.

Lennox listened to the reports that were being given, but found that it was harder today then it had been yesterday to focus. His shoulder yesterday had been simply tender to the touch, he had hoped that if he iced it last night it would have taken away the worst of it. The ice had helped with the swelling, but the pain was fiercer today then it had been the day before. It felts as though his arm had been torn in two, his fingertips felt tingly, when he had feeling which made him think of nerve damage. But still he resisted going to the medic, he wasn't ready to admit that he needed help, even in this way.

The reporting officer continued to drone on about the amount of casualties they had suffered, both in men and equipment, one of their planes had been destroyed in the attack. Lennox wasn't surprised, he was more impressed that the other two had come through it without more then a few scratches. It was thanks to the Autobots that they had survived the attack at all. The new ones in the group had proved themselves against the Decepticons, and he was grateful for their help. Epps stood next to Lennox and nodded as he listened to the report, at least with him there Lennox didn't have to pay attention, he could get the cliffs notes version later.

Letting his eyes wander he noticed the girl walking towards them, she seemed to be in a daze, and he wondered if she was sleep walking. It had been odd that the Autobots had insisted that she stay with them, about as odd as the fact that she didn't have a social security number, which the pentagon had just loved when he told them. And her accent was off, he had never heard it before, and he had been to just about every country there was, and a few that didn't exist anymore. He watched her as she paused every few steps and tilted her head slightly, as though listening to something, or seeing something that he couldn't. She was an odd one, this was the first time he had seen her without at least one of the Autobots with her.

He watched her for several more moments, then realized that the man who bad been giving the report had stopped, he glanced to the major and found the man starting at him. After a moments hesitation he answered, "all well and good Major, thank you. Epps can you cover for me for a few minuets?" without waiting for an answer, Lennox headed in a tangent line towards the girl. She had stopped her, her bright blue eyes-unlike any color he had seen, almost like the sky on a perfect summer day one moment, then the color of night with a full moon hanging heavy in the heavens the next. She looked up at him when he approached her, the moment her eyes focused on his he knew she had found what she was looking for. Her eyes only stayed on his for a moment before going to his shoulder. He swallowed hard.

"Your hurt." Was all she said.

Lennox studied her, not sure if he had heard her right, then those eyes summer-sky again focused on his and he felt his mouth go dry. Her eyes saw too much, he would have to remember that.

Tera held his gaze for one heartbeat to long knowing it made him feel awkward before focusing on his shoulder again. "You're not setting the best example for your men Captain."

He tried to assume his normal stance, one that was cocky and confident without being overbearing, but in doing so he tried to put his left hand on his hip, and the slight movement had him gritting his teeth in pain. She narrowed her eyes at him. "Its nothing Tera, what are you doing out here?"

With a swiftness that made him envious Tera moved to his right side, and gently placed her hand behind his back and began leading him towards the Authobots hanger, she wasn't really touching him-but was pushing him all the same. "What would your men think if they knew that you were risking your self in such a foolish way? Honestly males are all the same no matter where you are." Tera grumbled.

Lennox tried to plant his feet and resist her guidance, but couldn't seem to find a foot hold, it was as he were walking slightly above the ground, without the hope of catching a loose pebble or anything to stop his forward motion. "Tera, what are you doing?"

She ignored him the on the short walk until they were in the shade of the hanger, then she let go of his waist and circled around before him. Lennox noted that her eyes were once again the midnight sky color, the small hairs on the back of his neck stood on end.

"You are their Captain! You set the example, if you are a stubborn mule, so will they be! Why have you not tended to your injury?" She wasn't thinking of this human as simply the leader of the others, he was the one who Optimus communicated with. He was the human who had influence over the others and could if he chose, hurt the Autobots. She would not let him do that.

He stared at her blankly, then glared at her, "I am not injured, its just a little stiff! Why would you care anyway? You never come out of the hanger, what is it of your concern if I am hurt?" he knew he they were fighting like children but at the moment he didn't care. He was not about to be bullied around by anyone! Not Epps, not this little insignificant girl, no one! He noticed that her posture softened, and he wondered if she was going to cry because he had snapped at her. He hated it when girls cried, it was hitting below the belt.

She didn't cry, didn't even give a single sniffle, simple said "hold still." And walked around him. He wanted to turn and star at her, but felt oddly compelled to do as she said, which confused and annoyed him. Lennox was about to turn around and demand that she explain why she thought she could give him an order when he felt a tingling sensation beginning in his left shoulder. He froze, afraid that he had done more damage to his injury. As he stood there the tingling turned to an odd warming sensation that flowed just under his skin, it never got hot enough to burn, but grew warm enough to be uncomfortable. At the base of his shoulder blade on the left and on his bicep he felt two small hands touch him. The warmth ended instantly and was replaced by a cooling tingle that radiated down his arm to his finger tips, then vanished the second those gentle hands let go.

When she moved around him again, he saw wariness to her features that hadn't been there a few moments ago. Then Lennox realized that the pain was gone from his arm. He looked from her to his hand, which had full sensation now and back again. She stared at him as though he was a hunter and she the hunted, or like she had done something very foolish and was about to be punished for it. "How…"

In a flash she was gone, running across the hanger and into the closet she had claimed as a room for herself. Lennox watched her go in but made no attempt to follow her, instead he stood there dumbfounded. Optiums found him that way a few moments later, and observed the human as he rotated his left arm in gradually increasingly large circles. "Everything all right Captain."

Lennox glanced up at Optimus, then back at the door that Tera had run through. He was at a cross road, he could ask the Autobots what was really going on with Tera, or he could trust them to tell him when they were ready. When he looked back up at Optimus he knew that the robot knew the knife-edge they were both standing on. Optimus wasn't volunteering any information about the girl, and might never do so. But to demand that information would be a breach in the trust they had growing together. "Everything is fine, thank you." Lennox answered carefully.

Tera ran into her room then paced, her arms were wrapped around her self so tight she could feel bruises forming from her fingers digging into her own flesh. She shouldn't have done that, it had been foolish. What had she been thinking? Why had she allowed herself to act so instinctively? The pacing was helping in a small way, letting her get out some of her extra energy. Energy, she grumbled, that was what had gotten her into this problem in the first place! She sat on the edge of the bed, then jumped back up to pace again. What had she done, had she just ruined her chances of a life here? What would the Autobots say when they found out? Would they ask her to leave, because not only could she ruin her cover, she had just proven that at times she was driven by the need of her energy!  
Tera stood still for a moment, her left toe tapping a staccato rhythm. The worst part was that a small part of her was glad that she had done what she did. For the briefest moment, she had been able to touch flesh to flesh, granted there had been a layer of clothing between the two. The last time she had that sensation had been when her parents had told her to run. She had touched that man once before, when she had learned to shake hands, but that incident had been to confusing to be enjoyable. It was one thing to be around and touch the Autobots, but there was something slightly dissatisfying about touching metal. She knew the Autobots were living beings, but on some level she still craved affection from other fleshlings, craved the warmth of another's touch.

Holding up her hands Tera stared at them, as if she could still feel the muscles of the Captain on her fingertips, she had been in contact with him for only the briefest time, and yet she had been able to feel the warmth of him, not cold metal. She had sensed his heart beating in his chest, and heard the slight intake of breath he had made when she touched him. There was nothing overtly sexual about the act, but it was indeed a sensual sensation. Tera stared at her hands for a moment longer before running, she needed to be with someone who would distract her.

She toyed with the idea of being with the twins-they were a wonderful distraction if she wanted a headache for the rest of the day. No she needed someone who wouldn't need her to keep up any part of a conversation. She ran through the list of Autobots, Ratchet was always fun to hang out with, and the medic knew plenty of stories he could tell her. Ironhide was always with Chromia, but she didn't feel like being a third wheel, especially when she didn't want to be thinking about any type of pairing right now. Arcee and Moonchacer were an option, if they weren't out on patrol. Optimus…to say she enjoyed spending time with him would be an underestimate, he was so like her father, sometimes it hurt. But she didn't want to have to explain to him just yet what she had done. She made a silent promise to herself that the next time she was alone with Optimus she would explain to him everything that happened, and let him decide the next course of action.

That left her with Sideswipe. Smiling to her self, Tera left her room in search of the robot, with any luck he would be up to no good, he had a playful streak in him. Tera felt a little sorry for Ratchet, since most of Sideswipes pranks were aimed at the medic. Perhaps she could scheme up a new prank with him. Smiling at the distraction, Tera jogged in the direction of the large silver robot.


	5. Queen Teravain

**Sorry all! Had a final and a case study to work on =) but they are over! Hope you all enjoy, and please read and rate! **

It was three days before Tera had any alone time with Optimus, partly because she was doing everything in her power to subtlety not have any alone time with him. She hadn't been avoiding exactly, she had just made sure that she always had other bots with her to avoid the conversation that she knew was coming. It was a dark night; there was barley a sliver of a moon visible in the night. Tera loved nights like this, it made the stars so much more visible and beautiful, it had been the stars that had drawn her from the hanger in the first place. That was when she had found him, standing alone at the edge of the tarmac. He was often the last one to come in for the night, even when he wasn't on night patrol. For the briefest moment Tera contemplated leaving the discussion for a later time. Then Optimus turned and looked at her, and she knew that wasn't an option.

They stood in silent for several minutes; each one absorbed in their own thoughts, Tera wasn't sure how to breach the subject to the large robot when he broke the silence. "When we first met, you didn't give us your full name, what is it?"

She looked up at him questioningly before answering, "it's a bit of a mouthful. Teravain Deodona Skyhaven the eighth child of the Nineteenth Monarch." She smiled at him sheepishly. "A bit much don't you think? Anyway I haven't gone by Teravain for years, too many people didn't like the name."

Optimus accepter her answer in part, "why didn't anyone like your first name?"

Tera was silent for a moment before deciding to tell him the story. It wasn't any thing she could control, but she had never been comfortable with the name. "I am named after one of the rulers from a very long time ago." She paused thinking about the difference in time from her world to this one and added, "a very, very long time ago. Our people are not fighters as I am sure you figured out by how much I hate violence." She shuddered from just thinking about it. "This wasn't my kinds first brush with the Decepticons, they came to our world once before. When Queen Teravain ruled. She was a fair Queen from the stories that were passed down. But was always sad, as if she knew things that she didn't want to know. Some say that I resemble her, but there are no graphics of her that survived the years.

"When the Decepticons arrived, her council tried to convince her that they were good, and that they meant them no harm. She listened to them, as a good Queen does, and accepted their opinions, and said that she would need a night to think over what she would decide on. At that time, no one was to go near the Decepticons, or converse with them." Tera swallowed, her mouth was suddenly dry. "That night Queen Teravain did think, but not of what her councilors had said or their suggestions, she instead spent the night coming up with a way to use the power that we naturally generate, and making it into a weapon. Her councilors did as she asked, they instructed everyone to stay away from the Decepticons, and to not talk with them, even from a distance.

"The next morning when Queen Teravain went to meet with her councilors to inform them of her decision against being friendly with the Decepticons, it wasn't the councilors that were waiting for her. It was Starscream, one of the Decepticons. He had killed her royal councilors, and threatened to destroy her family if she did not do as he commanded, which was to generate power for whatever he needed it for, the stories are vague about why he needed the power" Tera stumbled over the words for a moment, as though she were trying to remember the exact reason he had asked for her to make power. Tera was staring at the stars, and didn't notice the way that Optimus's optics narrowed at the mention of Starscream. "Here is where the stories begin to get frayed by time and multiple retellings, some of the stories even suggest that she intended to hear Starscream out, others say that she attacked him on the spot. But one, the one only the royal family is privy to tells that the Decepticon gave her a promise, that if she didn't turn over her power to him, then her family line would be whipped out.

"All the stories are the same after that, Queen Teravain attacked. No one has been able to recreate the blast that she threw at the Decepticon, and no one knows how he escaped." Tera was silent for a long time, and Optimus began to think her story was over. "It has always been forbidden to use our energy as a weapon. Queen Teravain claimed that there was no other option, but her people were still uneasy about what she had done. It wasn't more then a few years before she stepped down, claiming her son was ready to rule, but everyone knew she could no longer stand the fear in her new councils eyes. I am the first person to bear her name since she ruled several generations ago. And even now, the stigma attached to the name has haunted me, that is why I went by Tera. But even then, people whispered about the late Queen, even my family became uneasy around me.

"When the Decepitons arrived again, lead again by Starscream, everyone expected me to be able to defeat them-like the Queen did. And I didn't know how, I had never dreamt that such a thing would be asked of me." Tera fought a silent battled of wills with her self, fighting back the tears that burned her eyes, and the sobs that tore at her throat, and made her jaw tremble. "I failed them….They knew somehow that the Decepticons would return, and that another Teravain would be needed…and I failed them. When I first heard the warning…and that it was the Decepticons again, I was with my oldest brother, the one who was training to take over after our father. He just stared at me, and I knew then that he knew what my name meant, and what was expected of me. Somehow I was expected to go against everything that is normal to our kind, go against the years of ingrained teaching that violence is wrong…and suddenly be a warrior.

"I failed, and Starscreams promise came true. He whipped out our entire family. Our race, our planet. Everything that I was, was destroyed, because when I needed to be a Queen, I failed. As a last resort my parents gave their lives to give us a chance." Tears were streaming freely down her face now. Tera ignored them, she had held back her tears for to long, she didn't want the sorrow burning a hole in her any longer. She didn't want to be the soul bearer of the history she had made, and the futures she had destroyed by her inaction. "If I had been able to do what the last Teravain had done, everything would be different now."

Optimus didn't say anything throughout her story, just listened to her words, and absorbed her emotions. He could not understand why she felt she failed, when she had never been taught to fight, but he knew pointing that out would be no comfort. "There are a few life's that owe themselves to you." When Tera stared at him blankly he continued. "Sideswipe, Chromia, Moonracer and Arcee. If you had not found them when you did, their energon supply would have failed and they would have died." Tera sniffed loudly, but remained silent. Optimus thought about offering empty reassurances, but knew she would see through them, so he said nothing. After a moment he settled onto the ground beside her, in a side laying position, so that she was leaning back against him, and he could offer her silent support. It wasn't much, but it was enough, and Tera's was finally able to cry herself out.

Once the tears had stopped, and Tera felt she could speak again she asked tentatively, "Have I destroyed things here as well?"

Optimus was silent for so long Tera was afraid he had gone into recharge mode. In spite of her ability to give them all the energy they needed, the Autobots still at times needed to shut down and charge themselves, much the same way humans did when they sleep. "How do you think you have hurt things here?"

Tera worried her lip for a minute, enjoying the feeling of Optimus at her back, she felt protected and safe with him, like she did with all the Autobots. "By what I did the other day with Captain Lennox. I didn't mean to really, it was just instinct."

"From what I have heard from the Captain and Epps since then, you did him a favor. However, we are lucky that he has not asked any questions." Optimus's voice was not empty of emotions, and Tera could tell he was holding back.

"Have I risked everyone? I know that you had to lie to the humans for me to be here, I don't want them to know about that."

Again Optimus was silent for a long time. When he spoke again, he caught her off guard. "What is it that you want from this planet, Princess Tera?"

She cringed at her title, she had failed her people and did not deserve to have the honorific attached to her name. She didn't know what to say, she didn't know what she wanted from this planet. She wanted to stay with the Autobots, they had become her family. But did she run the risk of failing them as she had her real family? That thought was enough to make her sit up away from Optimus, as though touching him contaminated him. "I want nothing from the people of Earth. But I don't want them to live the life I have had. I wish there was a way to shield them from the Decepticons, but I do not know how."

Optimus noted that she was no longer touching him, and wondered at her sudden withdrawal. "You have not had a chance to get to know them, perhaps you should be among the people of Earth more. Maybe live with Sam for some time, Bumble Bee could watch over both of you."

"You wish to send me away?" Tera whispered in a small voice. The depth of her despair was a deep ocean, full or torture, and rejection. She had failed one family, and was being asked to leave another.

Optimus leaned slightly forward, so he was touching her back again. "You would still be under my protection, Bumble Bee is Sam's guardian. If it would ease your mind, Sideswipe could join you." Even as he said it, Optimus hated the thought of spreading his troupes thin.

Tera shuddered, weather from the coldness of Optimus's chest, or her fear of being alone, she wasn't sure. But it reminded her of the other reason why she had wanted to touch the Captain; to feel warmth in another. To be able to touch skin to skin, even for the briefest of moments. She had heard about Sam, numerous times, and knew that Optiums thought very highly of the boy. But he was just that, a boy. Lennox was a man…thinking about that made Tera wonder if perhaps being around Sam wouldn't be the best thing for her. She had been forced to grow up fast, and wouldn't mind being able to be a kid again. "May I have some time to consider that option Optimus?"

He noticed the wall was being put back in place, for one night he had seen all that Tera had tried so hard to hide, and now it was gone, locked away again inside of herself. She had shown him a brief glimpse of her past, and he would muse over that for some time before he was able to sort out her emotions and tone of voice attached to each part of the memories. One thing he was certain of, she felt responsible for what had happened on her planet, weather she was or not was not for him to judge. She would have to come to terms with her responsibility or lack of in time, there was nothing he could say to confirm or deny that for her. He could however, continue to make her feel like a part of this family here, and he would do that. The fact that it had been Starscream all those years ago, and again recently who had attacked Tera's planet pulled at him. Starscream didn't do anything without an order, so who had given him the orders this time? Megatron was dead, and Tera's plant had been destroyed since that had happened. Was Starscream acting on his own? And what would he need so much power for? Tera as one member of the race, and was alone able to provide more then enough power for nine of them, and had power left to burn. What could Starscream need with an entire planet of her kind that could produce power like that?

"Take what time you need, but know that even if you decide to go, you may return at any time. You are family to us." He smiled slightly when he felt her lean into him again, enjoying the warmth that came from her.

There was another piece to her puzzle that pulled at him, could she be the key to preventing what happened on her planet and his own Cybertron, to happen on this one?


	6. Decisions

**Hope you like =) please rate I promise it wont hurt you to do so**

Optimus waited patiently for Bumble Bee to arrive with Sam, he had come up with the only argument that there was for Tera going to stay with him, all he could do was hope that it was enough. It wasn't long before he heard the hum of a familiar engine approaching. He was waiting in a forest clearing not far outside of the city that Sam lived in with his parents. It was a late September night, and the air was warm, but luckily not humid. If he rusted Ratchet would have a field day with the lecture he be giving. Optimus watched as Bumble Bee approached in car form, waited for Sam to step out, then transformed to his normal form. "I trust your senior year is better then the last, Sam." Optimus said after the initial greeting.

Sam smiled and blushed a little, "Its different, but then with Mikaela, everything is different! And with Bee here to drive me, no one hassles me about not having a car. Even Miles is coming around."

Optimus nodded, "I have a favor to ask of you Sam, I know it may be a hardship, but I have to ask anyway." He paused, "Another being has joined our team."

"What do you mean like new Autobots? That's good isn't it? You sent out that message for others to join you so that's good." Sam said crossing his arms.

"We have had several additions to our unit, and the last group to arrive came with a surprise. Her name is Tera, and she has been staying with us at NEST command base. But she may request to spend more time with humans, getting to know them as a species." Optimus watched Sam closely for any indication to what he might say.

Sam nodded at the start of what Optimus had said, then froze. "Wait a minute, so she is an alien herself? Like another Autobot wants to learn more about humans, well isn't the NEST base full of military guys? Isn't she being exposed to them there? I mean come on what else is there?" he watched Optimus for a moment, then his jaw dropped, "she isn't and Autobot is she? She another kind of alien. Well how many of you are there out there?"

"There are more stars then any sentient being could hope to visit. The question remains the same, Sam could she stay with you and your family?" Optimus asked patiently.

Stuttering for a moment Sam answered, "What you mean, like-like-like-like with me? Like with my parents and with me? Like as what? As my little green friend? I don't know how we could pass that one off? I mean the neighbors are already asking how it is that my dad bought me Bee when he is such a penny pincher. I just, I just, I just don't know."

"She is human in appearance. If there was any other way, I wouldn't have come to you. Sam you're my only option."

Sam ran his hand back through his hair several times, "Where is she now?" he looked around as though expecting to see a little green alien appear out of thin air.

"At the base, the NEST team has allowed her to stay with us." Optimus answered quickly.

"Good so she not here, and I am not taking her right now. I will have to ask my parents, you know my dad is such a cheep wad, I just don't know what he will say. And what would I say she is? My cousin or something? And what will Mikaela say? I just don't know, what do you say Bee?" Sam looked up at the yellow Autobot beside him, who had yet to weigh in.

Bee did a little dance of nerves then said in radio speech, "the more the merrier. Threes company."

"She has the option of taking her own guardian along, so that Bumble Bee would not be under any additional strain." Optimus said, hands on hips he regarded the two before him. Tera hadn't said she wanted to go yet, he hoped that she wouldn't, he would miss her smile at the base.

Sam put his right hand against his mouth, thinking hard. "I can ask, but I cant promise anything. I just, what will she do during the day? I am in school all day, Bee is with me. My parents work, she cant just stay at the house alone, that wont be any kind of interaction."

"She would enroll in your high school, her appearance is the same age as yours. But her maturity is more Mikaela's."

Sam noted the jab, but did nothing to answer it. "Have you ever been near a high school? Do you have any idea how mean the kids are there? I mean I am lucky to have made it as long as I have and not suffered any lasting harm. And your going to send, an all be it mature alien, but an alien non the less into the jaws of hell that is a normal high school?"

Optimus knew of Sam's tendencies to exaggerate, and made a placating gesture, "Your concern is noted, but it is her decision. Her guardian will be with her, and so will you, she is a fast learner, she will be fine." Optimus smiled slightly happy that the matter was settled if Tera decided to go out in to the human world. He said farewell to Sam and Bee, and headed back to NEST, hoping that all this had been nothing more then a waste of time.

****************************************************************

Sideswipe watched Tera for two days, noting how she was becoming more and more withdrawn. He worried that she had taken Ratche's anger personally. The prank they had pulled had not been anything grand, but Ratche's reaction had been worth it. The bright yellow Autobot had gone to his shop to find everything had been switched to the opposite side, after a few seconds of confusion he had come to the right conclusion, done a thermal scan and found Tera's unmistakable heat signature next to Sideswipe's. Ratchet had smiled when he heard Tera's "Uh-oh". Sideswipe transformed, and Tera jumped through the passenger window to make a get away from the then charging Ratchet.

Sideswipe smiled at the memory, he had always enjoyed pulling pranks on Ratchet, and now had the perfect accomplice. But now that accomplice was upset. She had been fine right after the caper, and had even acted innocent when Ratchet accused them later that day. That had been five days ago, now the young alien was suffering in silence, and he didn't know why. Every time he tried to talk to her it was like talking to a tree. She didn't answer, ohoo she tried to be polite and listen, but he could tell her mind was somewhere else. So he had stopped trying to converse and had settled back a distance to watch over her.

It was late at night and she was still outside, just staring up at the stars, at the end of the tarmac. It was a moonless night; the base lights dull enough to not hinder the light of the stars. Sideswipe approached her slowly, hoping that if he were quite she wouldn't notice him. He was fifteen feet away when she turned and looked at him. She was shadowed, but even from the distance he could see the tears in her eyes. He didn't say anything and neither did she, but when she turned away, he heard the silent invitation. He settled himself next to her, laying on his side so that he was half wrapped around her, not touching her but all she would have to do was lean backwards or over to one side and she would be resting on him.

"Do you ever miss being among the stars?" Tera asked in a quiet voice.

Sideswipe studied the stars for a few moments before answering. "My fondest memories are being planet bound. Not to say that I didn't enjoy being on your shuttle-but those first few hours was a torture, I-we had been slowly starving to death." He paused, not wanting to remember that feeling, the hollowness of it. "I prefer to have solid ground beneath me, but everyone has their own preferences."

Tera was silent a long time. After what felt like an eternity, she leaned back against him, he sighed at the warmth that radiated off of her. "Even when I am planet side, I love looking at the stars. Even though they are different here then the ones I was used to at home. I just love the stories that go with them, how every different cluster tells a different tale."

Sideswipe was silent for a moment, looking at the stars in a different way. "What is your favorite story of the stars?" he didn't think she really wanted to talk about that, but if it could get her talking, then maybe she would tell him what had been troubling her of late.

"I don't know the stories that go with these stars, they are strangers to me. Like so much else on this planet." Tera brought her knees up to her chest, and wrapped her arms around them. She was silent so long he thought she had fallen asleep. "Optimus gave me an option. He said that I could live among the humans and learn more about them."

Considering each world carefully Sideswipe answered, "Your among the humans here, I though you liked Captain Lennox and his men." Even through her back he could feel her temperature rise as she blushed.

"I like them just fine." Tera answered a little tartly. "He said I could possibly live with Sam and his family and Bumble Bee." She rested her head on her knees, her mouth half covered, "and he said I could choose a guardian to come with me."

Sideswipe froze, if Tera went away from the base she would potential be in danger. If the Decepticons discovered she was there and out among the general population it would be all to easy for them to capture her. What could Prime be thinking to let her out in the world, granted Bee would be there, but his first concern would always be Sam, who was another potential target for the Decepticons. What would be the point of putting the two most fragile members of their family together? Then the last part of what she said hit him, she could take a guardian with her, someone who's soul responsibility would be to protect her. He turned to look at her slowly, and found her staring at him.

In a small voice Tera asked him, "would you come with me?"

He knew that if he accepted this he would be away from the rest of the team, he would no longer be able to go on any of the missions that the others did. And if the Decepticons went after her, he would be her only hope. It didn't matter, he cared for the small carbon based life form like she was his sister, he would do whatever she asked, if it kept her safe and happy. "I would be honored to be your guardian."

Her smile was slow, but genuine, she rolled to her side, so that she was stretched out beside him, "Thank you Sideswipe." She said in a sleepy voice.

They stayed there through the night, it was warm enough that she didn't need a blanket, and he had more then enough to think about. In the morning he was going to set off on a new adventure. And meet up with his old friend Bumble Bee.

*********************************************************

It took a few days longer then Sideswipe had predicted to get Tera ready to leave NEST. For one, the only clothes she had was military casual wear, and while she was fine with that, the others weren't so sure. But since none of them knew what was considered appropriate attire to a high school, they voted to leave it up to Mikaela to help Tera pick out a suitable wardrobe. The next issue was how to enroll her in classes, Mudflap and Skidz turned out to be the best at forging documents, so they made her a fake drivers license, saying she had just turned 18, and an old ID card from a high school in another state. While Tera wasn't comfortable with the forgery, the others assured her it would make everything easier.

When Optimus heard of Tera's decision he wasn't surprised, but he was saddened by it. He knew that he could not go as her guardian, but was happy that she had chosen Sideswipe, he would take care of her. Optimus just hoped that Sam's father would not have too much trouble explaining the Sting Ray that was going to be parked in their driveway next to the Camero. But that was not his problem. Sam's parents had agreed to take Tera, after they heard of her ability to produce electricity and knew that there monthly payments to the electric company would be negligible.

All the preps had been made, and she was packed and ready to leave, Tera just couldn't say good-bye. She didn't want to leave without saying something to Lennox, but had been doing her best to avoid him ever since she had helped him. Now faced with not seeing him for who knows how long, she had to tell him something, she just didn't know what.

From the hanger door way she had a view of most everything that went on at the base. She could see what planes were getting prepped for missions, and what cargo was going to be needed, to the far north she could even see the firing range, and thanks to her genetics, she could see who was hitting the mark and who wasn't. She stood staring out, her back against the doorframe, her eyes never focused on anything, she was looking for Lennox. She didn't even know what she would say to him. She kept running through different conversations to have with him, and always came up blank after the "hi". He wasn't even the same species as her, and yet she felt a warm flutter in her stomach when she thought of touching him.

That was why she had to get away from the base, why she had to desensitize her self to humans. If they were all the same then none of them would be of interest to her, certainly not one who was so far away. She shook her head and squeezed her eyes shut as tight as she could, she was smarter then this, more mature then this. What was she thinking, she should just leave now, and not torture herself anymore then she already had. That decision made she turned and walked into the hanger, her eyes still closed for the first step, she was surprised when she ran into something, even more so when she fell backwards, and landed flat on her ass.

Blinking upward, Tera focus on what she had ran into and wanted to crawl into a corner and hide. Lennox stared down at her, looking as shocked as she was, but at least he was still on his feet. Giving herself a mental kick in butt, she collected her wits enough to start to stand, and was startled when a hand was offered to her. Tera stared at Lennox's offered hand for a second before gently placing her hand in it. The rough calluses felt comforting, nothing like her the hands of her family whose had all been smooth, not work roughened. With his aid, Tera was back on her feet, and wanted to run away. She gave him a week smile and a soft "thanks" before her mind ran away with any sense she had left.

Lennox regarded her for a moment, but Tera had no idea what he was thinking. "So you're heading to Sam's? He's a good man."

Tera nodded, but found that her tongue was stuck to the roof of her mouth and dry. It took her a moment to realize that she was still holding his hand, and another few seconds to fight the mental battle with herself to get her hand muscles to relax enough for her to let go. She gave him another weak smile and stumbled over saying "it should be interesting."

He nodded, "well I wont keep you from packing." But he made no move to leave her.

Being this close to him was intoxicating, she could smell him, he had a masculine scent, hinted with gun oil, and sweat, not overpowering but seductive and alluring. She didn't want to feel this way about anything, let alone a human. But Tera couldn't resist the hormones that had been dormant all her life and were now singing praises for the man standing before her. In a weak voice she said, "I should go, Sideswipe is waiting for me." But like Lennox she made no gesture to move. His warm brown eyes bored into her, and she felt for the slightest moment as though he could see through her to what she truly was. In a flash Tera jerked away from him and was across the hanger.

She shook her head angrily at her self, how foolish could she be. If she let her guard down around any of these humans they could see her for what she was and then she could break the trust that they have in the Autobots. It was best to be away from here, away from these humans, away from the temptation that Lennox represented. The sooner she was with Sam and his family, the sooner she could forget Lennox and let herself become immune to the lure that particular human male represented to her.

************************************************************

"You return to me yet again, to report a failure. How disappointing. Megatron spoke so highly of you, and all you have proven to me is your incompetence." The Fallen said as he stared at the kneeling form of Starscream. It was cold in the depths of space, and his breath hung in the air. His annoyance range clearly in the silence that followed, if he could be ride of Starscream and his ineptitude he would, but the Fallen's options were few. "There is no one left of there kind? I thought you said they were a peaceful species, and that it wouldn't take more then a few of them to give us the energy that we need to bring the hatchlings to life."

Starscream chanced a glance up at the Fallen, but looked away from the raw hatred quickly, "It would take only a few my liege, but a few of the royal family, the other members of that species do create power, but a mere thimble full compared to the lake of power that the royal family is capable of making. I was trying to get the very best I could for you."

"And in doing so you failed me entirely! You not only lost the weaklings of there kind, but you destroyed the planet! So if any survived there is no chance that they will ever return." The Fallen glared at him, wishing he had the strength to throw him, beat him, anything to let out some of his frustration.

"A point of fact, my liege, it was not I who destroyed the planet, it was the Royal family. And they did it to create a diversion so that some could escape." Starscream continued to grovel at the Fallen's feet.

The Fallen was silent for a moment, thinking over what Starscream had said. "You say the did it as a diversion, so that some could get away?"

"Yes my liege."

The Fallen smiled, and took a deep breath before bellowing, "Then why are you here reporting your failure? Why are you not out searching every corner of the galaxies to find those who got away?!"

Starscream shuddered at the unbridled hatred in the Fallen's voice, but continued "I came to report to you my liege, that one of the ships from that plant has landed on Earth, and that the being from that planet is now with the Autobots."

The Fallen was silent for a moment, "With the Autobots. How interesting, I wonder if the little fleshling told them of Its rare talent." He stroked his odd rippling beard for a moment thinking. "If It is with the Autobots and they know of It's power then we have to assume that they would fight to keep It. If however It is no longer among the Autobots, how would we find it among a plant full of fleshlings?" He raised his hand to keep Starscream from speaking. "Your new mission is to find this creature, and bring It here. If It is a Royal, and you should hope It is, then It will have the power needed to bring the hatchlings to life. If It is nothing but a commoner, then we will wring it dry of Its power before stripping the flesh from Its bones.

"Use whatever means necessary to capture the creature. There are enough Decepticons on Earth to aid you. But be timely about it, and silent, there are other plans in motion that cannot be hurried or interfered with. Do what you have to do, but with minimal human interactions. If any of the Autobots happen do die, so be it." The Fallen smiled wickedly as he watched Starscream transform and head to Earth. He glanced around him at the dozens and dozens of hatchlings waiting in their cocoons. "Soon my children, soon you will be brought to life, and I shall rule again."


	7. High School 101

High School, the infamous hell that every teenager in the world is subject to experiencing, Tera was now no exception. At first the sheer number of people that were moving freely though the halls had intimidated her, after a few seconds of trying to move "with the flow" as Sam had put it, Tera wondered what she was doing wrong. At NEST when people moved in groups it was an orderly mass that moved with intent. Here it seemed that everyone was moving as slow as possible to make it to class while trying there hardest to make it impossible for everyone around them to do the same. Her new clothes felt odd, and were far more revealing then she would have preferred. She missed her camo pants and shirt.

Shopping with Mikaela had proved to be a experience that Tera would never forget. Meeting the beautiful human had been unique, the humans clothing had been something she had never seen before. Mikaela introduced her into the fashion forward world of mini skirts, tummy tops, couchy shorts, and push up bras. Though the trip itself had turned into more of a bargaining lesson. Where Tera would agree to wear the tummy top, if she didn't have to wear the matching mini skirt. Or she would wear the push up bra, only if she could wear a long sleeved shirt with it. The end result was that Tera had a wardrobe that she could tolerate, though would never be comfortable in; and she had made a friend. Thought there taste in make-up was opposite. Tera didn't understand why she needed so much when the point-she was told-was to appear as though she wasn't wearing any. That had been another interesting conversation. One of Sam's biggest worries when he had accepted Tera into his house had been that Tera and Mikaela wouldn't get along, now he had to fight for some time alone with his girl friend.

Tera dodged another body and bumped into Sam for the tenth time in four steps, she gave him a small smile, which he ignored and plowed forward. "You know if your going to fit in, you should just be normal, just act natural, just do as I do." He locked eyes with her for a moment before looking away and moving confidently into the flow of students. "You can't be afraid to make a little elbow room, you can't be tentative."

_"You have one chance to make or break your high school career, you can't go there tomorrow and be afraid, you have to go there and be a bad ass." Sam had told her last night. Tera had sat at the head of his bed, hugging a pillow, and wishing she were sitting with Sideswipe. She was confused by his choice of words, earlier that day Mikaela had made a point of saying that her butt had to look cute in the shorts and jeans they had finally decided on, and now Sam said she had to be a bad ass? She tried to ignore the confusing parts, which was most of this lecture. Pointing out to the teacher that he was confusing seemed rude. So she listened to what Sam had fondly termed "Surviving high school 101" though he was unable to tell her what the '101' part stood for._

_"There are going to be people there that just aren't nice, that are ass holes." Again Tera wondered at the obsession with the butt. "You are going to have to sort out the jerks from the potential friends, and everyone isn't going to be nice like you would like the to be, there are going to be people there that just want to use you. And your cute, you're going to have to fight off the guys, so you just stay with Mikaela and me. You should never be out of our site, between the two of us we are in every one of your classes, so just don't leave us, understand me? So when you walk down the hall ways don't be timid, you gotta be assertive, you gotta claim your space, and don't put up with anyone coming into your space, understand me?" Sam grabbed her hand and pulled her off the bed and away from her protecting pillow, "So now I am going to come into your space, don't let me."_

_He took a step forward towards her, she took a step back. "No, no, no, no, no you gotta be assertive, you gotta make me step back, understand?"_

_When Tera nodded weakly, and Sam backed up a step. When he took a step forward again, she didn't move. And Sam bumped into her. "Better, ok better, but you still let me touch you, if someone is going to enter your space, make it on your terms, don't let me touch you if you don't want me to touch you, understand?" _

_Tera gave him a blank look, she had watched his interactions with his family, and how he was with Mikaela, they made easy touches throughout the day. She wanted the ability to be able to have that casual interaction, and not feel the tingling sensation in her stomach that she had whenever she thought of Lennox now. So if she wasn't able to have that casual touch, then what was the point of being here? _

_Sam took a step back again, and pulled Tera forward. Mikaela had been watching silent until then, she stood up and gave Sam a gentle shove. "How about you let a girl teach her how it really is?"_

_"That's fine you think you know better then I do, then you go right on ahead I will just sit here and learn the 'right way'." Sam leaned back against this desk, his arms crossed in front of his chest. "Go on, go on. I want to learn from the master." _

_Mikaela gave him one look before turning to Tera, "Some of what Sam said makes sense, tomorrow is going to be the big day for you. But everything isn't done with physical space. For girls a lot of it is conveyed with your eyes." Mikaela blinked her bright blue eyes at Tera for enfaces, but all Tera could think of was warm brown eyes, which led to the tingling sensation again. _

_Tera gave herself a mental kick and focused on Mikaela. "Guys will look wherever it is they want to, and trust me they will look everywhere but where you want them to look, so you have to make them look at your face."_

_"Um I have never once looked at a girls face, I don't know what your talking about," Sam said, pointedly staring at Mikaela's butt. _

_Tera frowned and wondered if Sam should seek help for his butt obsession._

_Mikaela gave Tera a playful look, and turned to face Sam who was still trying to look at her butt. "So all you see when you see me is a body?" She asked him in a deceptively sweet voice _

_"Uh-huh." Sam said still staring, though now he was focused on Mikaela's chest._

_Mikaela moved closer to him, her walk had changed from being a normal gait to a seductive stroll, making her hips move in a hypnotic pattern. "So all girls are is something pretty to look at?" _

_"Uh-huh." Sam answered without looking up._

_Mikaela was barley half a step away before she stopped and lowered her face to his eye level, "and that is why you still sleep alone." _

_Sam stuttered a few times before finally getting out, "You tricked, me that was totally unfair, that was, that was, just-unfair!"_

_Mikaela turned to Tera and smiled, "That is how you can expect every male to act tomorrow, not all of them will be as obvious, granted, but they will all in the end trip over their own egos." She settled back on the bed where she had been sitting before, crossed her legs, and gave Tera a 'cat that ate the canary smile'._

Now walking side by side with too many humans to count, Tera wasn't sure who to believe, Sam or Mikaela. She had seen a few males give her a quick up and down look, but none had approached her with the googely eyes that Sam had displayed last night, for which she was thankful. She wasn't used to 'claiming her space' and found it much easier to side step others, then to bump into them. Walking between Sam and Mikaela would have been much easier, but since they were holding hands, that wasn't an option. Tera had already survived one class, sitting next to Sam in the back corner. They had shared English. Her next class was math, and she would only have Mikaela in it with her, as Sam was not in the calculus class.

Tera wondered again how the twins had decided what classes to put her in, but was just thankful that they had made her 'old' transcripts show that she had already taken all the required history to graduate. She wouldn't mind learning the history of this world, but would prefer to do it on her own, and not study only what one human thought was interesting. Tera waited as Sam kissed Mikaela goodbye in the doorway before following the other girl into the already filling classroom. "Sit back here," Mikaela told her as she led to a seat farthest away from the white board.

Glad to be out of the crowded hallways, Tera took the seat Mikaela indicated placing her backpack beneath it, which gave her a chance to take the time to glance around the room. A very long number was across the top of the white board, one that she remembered from her youth, pie. As a child she had sung the Pie song, a song that helped children to remember the long number and what it was used for. At the age the children of earth had been playing with dolls, she had been building her first engine, and putting together her first computer. Further investigation of the room revealed more primitive notations that she was familiar with. If this was an advanced class, she had a problem, she knew all the material already.

Tera turned to Mikaela to ask what to do when the teacher called the class to order. This proved to be the longest hour yet of Tera's stay on earth, listening to the teacher drone on about the unit circle-a toy that Tera had played with when she was 5, and how the numbers related to one another. Every time that Tera thought they might be moving on, the teacher would explore the same thing from a different angle, dragging what could have been an exciting conversation into a snore convention. Everyone around Tera was asleep by the end of the hour.

When that class ended all Tera wanted to do was run to the parking lot and crawl in to Bee's back seat and get back to Sideswipe. It had been more 'economical' to take only one car. When Tera pointed out that they didn't run on gas, but the energy that she made for free, Sam had pointed out that no one was to know that. She missed Sideswipe, more the she would have thought possible. It had only been a few hours since she had said goodbye, and yet it felt like days. All she wanted to do was snuggle into his leather seats and race back to the NEST base. She had already been with Sam and his family for two days, which felt like an eternity. Not that she hadn't enjoyed spending time with his rather eccentric mother and father, or the eye opening shopping trip with Mikaela, and her introduction to beauty products. But it wasn't the base, which had come to feel like home.

Mikaela linked arms with Tera as they left the classroom, subtly steering her to the lunchroom. "Time for lunch, are you hungry?"

Tera had explained to Mikaela and Sam that she didn't eat human food and could survive on nothing more then air and water, but that wasn't in keeping with the human fashion, so she would buy a lunch, and not eat it. When Tera had pointed out that this was wasteful, they had pointed out that she needed to fit in. So she was stuck-pretending to be a human. Which in the end was what she had wanted to learn, she just couldn't remember why it had seemed so important. She bought her lunch and sat next to Miles and Sam, and wished the day were over.

*****************************************************************

Trent was across the cafeteria, watching Mikaela and her new boyfriend. "Can you believe that bitch left me for him?"

"Hey man if I were you I would do something about it, your rep is at stake man." Kyle, another member of the football team said.

Glaring, Trent nodded, "your right, and I think that little friend that he brought with him is just about my style."

Jeff slapped him a high five, his letterman jacket broadcasting that he also played football, "She looks like she could be a fun little ride, mind if I partake after you do?"

"Gentlemen, Gentlemen, there shall be enough for all." Trent said as he moved conspiratorially close to his neighbors.

*****************************************************************

Lunch had been interesting, at the base Tera had often snuck in to watch the antics of the men when there were no authorities watching. High school had a few things in common with the military, one was once there was no one in charge, all rules were off. She had been lucky enough to make it out of the cafeteria before the food fight broke out, but could hear the yelling long after leaving the crowded room. The only excuse Tera could come up with to be alone for a few moments was to use the rest room, which she technically didn't need to, her only byproduct was energy. Lucky for her, Sam and Mikaela thought nothing of it when she said she used the excuse.

Instead of going to the ladies room, Tera went outside to get some fresh air. She had been starving for air that didn't have perfumes or hairsprays mixed in with it. Standing outside in a courtyard by a one of the many flowerbeds, savoring the fresh air, allowed her a few moment to her self. Before being allowed to leave for her first day of classes, Tera had had to promise to Sideswipe that she would never leave Sam's sight. Then the Autobot had made Sam promise to not loose sight of her. At first Tera had thought he was being overprotective, but in a cute big brother kid of way. Now at school, surrounded by hundreds of strange humans, she understood why he had worried. She could easily get lost here, glancing around her self she had a brief moment of panic, before catching a glimpse of Sam and Mikaela.

She looked away as soon as she realized what they were doing. Sam had called in "making out". Tera didn't know what to think of it, except that every time she saw it, and you couldn't really go 10 steps in high school and not see it, she thought of Lennox. She had left the base to desensitize her self to humans, well one in particular, and found herself thinking of him more the before.

"So they finally let you have some air?"

Tera spun to face the voice that was right behind her, and found a group of large human males behind her, each one wearing a letterman jacket, though it was still warm enough to make the jack obsolete. Not knowing what to say, she stared at them. Sam had pointed them out earlier in the day and said they were 'ass holes', but given his obsession with the butt, Tera had not thought much of it. Now Tera regretted leaving Sam and Mikaela's side. She shot a glance in their direction to gauge the distance.

"Hey now, we are just talking here, so what's your name new girl?" The blond asked, taking a step closer, he was now at arms length.

Silently Tera berated herself for not keeping her promise to Sideswipe. "Tera." She said softly.

The blond chuckled, "Tera, that's a pretty name, not nearly pretty enough for you though." He reached out and gently touched her cheek, Tera jerked back. She was a little surprised at what she felt when he touched her, not warm tingling sensation like when she had contact with Lennox , but rather a sense of loathing, it made her want to take a long hot shower. "Aww come on, just being friendly here."

Tera wanted to run, wanted to scream, wanted to be anywhere in the world then where she was. But running would draw attention, so would screaming. And while that would scare off the bold blond, the last thing Tera wanted was attention. "I have to get to class." She said breathlessly

Several of the boys behind the blond chuckled.

"I can take you to your next class." The blond offered, "My name is Trent."

A sound behind her alerted her to the presence of a few other boys in letterman's behind her, between her and Sam. "Thank you for the offer, but no thank you."

Trent smiled, "I don't think you understand, I am walking you to your next class, it wasn't really an option for you." He closed the distance between them and grabbed her upper arm hard enough to burse.

Tera's body reacted on its own, it was injured, it healed itself, the first step was a flash of heat that was hot enough to sear the hand still connected to the injured area. Trent took a step back, gasping in pain, "What the?" Tera glanced behind her and saw Sam do a quick scan of where she was, but didn't see her because of all the football players; he turned and headed off in the wrong direction. She wanted to yell out to him, but was cut off when Trent grabbed her again, though not as hard. "How did you do that?" he demanded.

A part of her that had lain dormant all her life, the part of her that was the descendant of the blood from Queen Teravain began to wake. It was such a subtle reaction within her, that Tera didn't even feel it. All she felt was annoyance with the human before her. She looked pointedly from his face to his hand still on her arm, and back. She didn't need to say anything, remembering what Mikaela had said about eye communication, she poured her hatred into her eyes. Her normally cobalt blue eyes flashed with power for a second, just long enough to startle Trent enough that he let go of her arm. Traveling faster then a human could, Tera ducked through the boys behind her before slowing to a normal-human pace. She didn't stay close enough to hear their reaction, just kept moving in a tangent line to where Sam had headed.

Not caring what excuse Trent made for losing his grip on her, Tera made it a point to not be so much as farther then arms length away from Sam. Avoiding all contact with humans seemed like the best plan of action for the rest of the day. Classes dragged on far beyond boredom, and with it came time to think. When Trent had touched her, all she had wanted to do was get away from him and take a scalding hot shower. That was an odd reaction since she had been having casual contact all day with humans just from bumping them in the halls, though she had tried not to touch anyone it had still happened, and none of those contact has caused that reaction inside of her.

When the last bell finally range Tera dropped her head to the desk and sent a silent thank you to the stars. She had survived her first day of high school, and it had forced her to accept a truth. There was only one human who caused that unwanted, warm fluttering reaction inside of her. And she was now hundreds of miles away from him.


	8. MIB?

Lennox sat his legs up on the desk crossed at the ankles. His arms supported his neck as he lounged in the office chair. To anyone that looked he appeared to be asleep, and in truth he was dreaming, but not pleasant dreams. But rather dreams that he had suppressed too many times.

_Amanda looked at him as they lay in bed together, her eyes telling to strongly what his answer should be. _

"_Your asking me would I be able to marry again, should anything happen to you?" Lennox clarified._

_She smiled at him, her hand drawing little patterns on his bare chest. "It's a simple question, I would hope that you would be able to move on and find happiness, but I need to hear you say the words."_

_Lennox smiled at her, "you are my happiness, you and Annabelle, and the baby are my happiness, you're my world."_

_Amanda frowned, "Will, I love you more then life to, but this is a serious conversation, anything could happen, and now you're in this new unit, and everything is different. I just need to know that if anything happened that you would be all right."_

"_You don't need to worry, because nothing is ever going to happen, we are the typical family, all we need now is to get a dog, and we will have everything that anyone could ever want." Lennox said, hugging her closer. _

He would never forget the phone call that had changed his life, when Amanda had gone in to labor at only 16 weeks; he had thought they would loose the baby. He knew that at that age the baby would not be able to survive on its own, a few weeks older and it might have had a chance. But when he had arrived at the hospital and seen the nurse's face when he asked for Amanda Lennox, he knew it was so much worse.

Sometimes at night he would dream of her, and still be able to feel her in his arms. More and more those dreams were fading, and being not replaced, but changed into something else. At first he had thought that he was forgetting how much he loved Amanda, but he knew that would never change. He would never forget the feel of her, or the smell of her hair after a shower. Those memories were imprinted on his soul. But new memories were taking hold. He couldn't say that he loved Tera, he hadn't known her long enough for such a strong emotion to be attached to her. But he did think of her far more then he should. Mainly he wondered at how she had healed him. Thought of how warm her touch had been, how it had almost seared him, then he was fine, better then fine, healed.

Whenever he attempted to bring it up to Epps, his friend just gave him a knowing look, and Lennox shut up. He would refuse to have feelings for her, it was as simple as that, it was a choice of mind over matter. Anyway she was no longer on the base, therefore no longer his concern. He wouldn't have to worry about lying to the pentagon anymore. Thought according to Epps it wasn't technically lying to the pentagon, because they had never officially said that the girl was there. Lennox had argued that not telling them was still lying. At which point Epps had said he crazy, that the pentagon didn't know, couldn't get them in trouble.

The fact remained the same, Tera was no longer there, therefore no longer his concern. But he didn't like the change in the Autobots. They had been happier when she was there; at first he had thought it was because of the addition of so many of them at once. But gradually the truth was revealed, the new arrivals were a cause of joy, but so was the unexpected one. She had been like a rare gift that no one had expected to find, nor had they expected what she would give back. When Tera had been on the base everyone had been happier, the men had enjoyed having her there; she was so like a little sister to the men who had left their families so far away. The Autobots had someone to fuss and fret over, which might seem odd, but it meant that their attention wasn't always focused on the marines all around them. It could be a little overwhelming having that much metal always hanging over your shoulder protecting you-not that Lennox didn't appreciate all that they did, but it was nice sometimes to be able to take a step back. Tera had provided the distraction that allowed them to do that.

There were just a few things that didn't seem to add up fully. Where had she come from? They had done a search in every data bank of names and facial recognition that they had access to, granted there were some places in the world that didn't record their populations that way, but the odds were in their favor. And yet every inquiry had come back blank. She was a ghost, someone who didn't officially exist. Lennox didn't believe for a minute that she was 18 like that ID that had suddenly appeared claimed her to be; she had seemed to mature for high school, more gradate school if anything. But he hadn't said a word about it when she had come to tell him she was going to school, in truth he hadn't know what to say. A part of him knew that he would be able to focus better if she wasn't there to distract him, while another part of him was angry that he wouldn't be able to watch over her, even though he knew she would be safe enough with Sam.

Rubbing a hand hard over his face he tried to erase the thoughts of Tera and the mystery that she present. He had enough to keep his mind busy just with keeping his men ready to jump on a plane and fly anywhere in the world should a Decepticon show its ugly face. It had been pleasantly slow for a week now, and while he enjoyed not having his men in danger, he couldn't stand sitting still. He needed the constant motion of military life to keep the memories of his lost wife and baby, and thoughts of Tera at bay.

After a long hot shower, granted Tera had to add some power to the water to make it hot enough for her to qualify as hot, muscles that had been tight and stiff finally began to unwind and relax. Tera wrapped herself in a much oversized blue robe that Sam had unknowingly loaned to her, the robe came down to her feet and passed her hands by a few inches, but did the tick to keep in the heat from the shower. Casting a quick glance in to Sam's room showed that the happy couple was still watching the movie, and that her absence would not be noticed. Tera trotted down the stairs silently, past the half sleeping parents who were watching the evening news, out the back door and to the garage. The garage was a bit of a tight fit for the two Autobots, unless they were in their alternative form, so Tera wasn't surprised to find the two sleek cars sitting side by side as though there was nothing special about them. She cast them a knowing smile and told them "no peeking." Then turning her back to the trunks of the two cars she dropped the robe and called on the power deep inside of her.

Heat flashed through her body, a strong contrast to the chill night air. Eyes closed, she tipped her head back and savored the warm sensation that tingled along her skin, like the brush of a feather, only lighter. After a few moments she pulled her robe back on and smiled; it now came to her knees, and the arms came to her elbows. She turned and walked to the front of the two cars, one eyebrow raised, asking the wordless question 'what do you think.'

The two cars were silent for a moment, for Bumble Bee it was the first time he had seen her in her natural form. The silence lasted longer then she would have liked, and finally she turned to Sideswipe.

"You look lovely in any form." Came his soft reply from his radio. Tera blushed and smiled fondly at the now silent Corvette Stingray. She had spent many hours at the NEST base watching the Transformers ninja training, and knew how deadly he was, yet looking at him all she saw was a trusted friend who was as gentile as kitten, the only difference being that this kitten had rather long claws when he wanted to.

"You are beautiful in every single way…" Christina Aguilera's voice sang out of Bumble Bee's radio. Tera smiled softly at Camerro and thanked him.

"I was hoping that you two wouldn't mind sharing a bit of the garage tonight. I can just sleep on the floor between you two." When they didn't answer for a few seconds Tera began to play with the tie holding the bath rob closed. "I don't want to sleep alone, I just keep having weird dreams, like I should know something, or remember something, and cant." When she looked up at the two cars nothing had changed, and yet she felt as though they understood how she felt.

Her second day of High school hadn't been quite as exciting as her first, mainly because she didn't let go of Mikaela's arm for most of the day-and made sure to never be more then two steps away from either Sam or Mikaela. She didn't want to risk it, high scholars had proven to be more frightening then she would have thought possible. Luckily though, Tera's first day had been a Thursday, and today was Friday-and over, so she had the next two days to be a normal teenager and do nothing. For Tera that meant spending as much time as 'humanly' possible with the Autobots. Starting with a night spent sleeping safe and sound in the passenger seat of Sideswipe-who insisted that she would catch a cold if she slept on the floor. So she snuggled into his leather seat, and made a mental note that she would have fit so much better in her human form, but it felt so right to be in her natural form that she didn't care. It had been an exhausting two days, and they were finally over. She listened contently to the soothing music that Bumble Bee played, and felt safe. She still missed Lennox, and try as she might she couldn't push that thought fully from her mind as sleep finally claimed her. This was the first night that Tera dreamed of the past.

She was looking in a mirror, but the image wasn't herself, well it looked like her but wasn't. The hair was the right color, but the face was off a little, the eyes that looked back at her were wider spread, and the nose was a little longer, not unattractive, just different. Behind the woman in the mirror was a room that was familiar in shape, but not decoration. It was her parent's bedroom, but the décor was not the same. Tera watched as the woman in the mirror put in a pair of earrings and studied her reflection.

"Well my dear, what do you think?" the woman said as she spun from the mirror to face the man who had come in behind her.

He drew her into an intimate embrace before answering, "I think that we have never had a lovelier Queen, nor a more fortunate King." He kissed her, long and slow, to the point that Tera felt her cheeks glow with embracement.

It took her a few moments to realize who she was seeing, her great grandmother Queen Teravain. Knowing who she was watching didn't help clear up the confusion, as Tera observed the long dead royal couple go through the motions of a normal day. The palace hadn't changed much in the few generations that separated them, nor had the policies and procedures of the royal family. The rest of the weekend was spent pondering the point of the dream, and what she was supposed to learn from it. In an odd way she felt as though she had been ease dropping on memories that were not hers, so why did she have them? Somehow she knew what she had seen was actual events, and not some fabrications of her subconscious to make her feel connected to her people.

The events that had taken place on that day had been to commonplace, and yet not. It was the same and yet different from how she remembered things, little changes had been made, a new painting in one part of the palace, a crack in the foundation in another. Things that she could not have made up, but had actually been there. The dream gave her something to think about in class up until Wednesday night when she had her second glimpse into the past.

This time she when she watched Queen Teravain, it was the same and not, she was still following the long dead queen through her daily routine. But it felt familiar in a way it shouldn't. Tera had heard the stories about the great queen, and how so many people had come to fear her awesome power, the same power that had made some weary of herself. Only Tera didn't know how to tap into that core power, wouldn't know what to do with it if she could. She had been so young when she had left her planet, a child still learning the ways of the world around her. Now so far from anyone who knew what training she needed the memories that were not hers were surfacing to do the teaching. She watched her great-grandmother do simple tricks with power, and felt as though she could perform the same thing. Something as novel as a shield, a way to create a bubble of power around you that would let nothing but air pass through it.

Tera couldn't name a single person from her family, who could do the spell, nor could she think of a reason why it had existed before the Decepticon's first attack, and yet the old queen had known it. In this odd way the dreams were comforting and concerning. Why would she need to know how to create a shield? Were her dreams a premonition, that more danger was coming? Had she lead the Decepticons to this planet? No Sam had told her about the battle at Mission City, and the Cube. So she had not led the Decepticons to this planet, but were they back because of her?

The questions floated around Tera's mind all the time, when she was in class it was hard for her to not drift back into the dreams. Outside of school the only thing that seemed to keep her sane was being with Sideswipe. He listened to her stories about the dreams, and tried to help her sort out what she needed to know from everything else in the dream. The use of power seemed to increase with every dream, she watched her great-grandmother heal a man who was on the brink of death, felt the drain of power as if she had done it herself. Each dream held a new use of power, and each use seemed so obvious once she had seen it that she wondered how she could have not known about it before.

It was only with the help of her dreams to occupy her thoughts every waking hour that Tera was able to not dwell on not being around Major Lennox. She tried to not think of him, because when she did, her heart felt as though it were stone, and that she was sinking. The only way to protect herself was to not think about the man. It hurt to not think of him, but thinking of him hurt far more. Same with her family, the safest way to protect her heart was to not think about them, not wonder what had happened back home, or wonder how many of her kind had made it off planet and were searching for new homes among the stars.

Lennox looked up and frowned at the men approaching his office with such purposeful strides that he knew himself to be their final destination. He didn't recognize any of them, but their clearance had to be high enough to allow them on the base, and their badges proclaimed them to be from the Pentagon, and their suits classified them as pricks. Rising to his feet Lennox met them at the door. "Gentlemen, how can I help you?"

The first man to speak had a buzz cut like the military fashioned, and held himself with the kind of pride that spoke of an ex-service man. His voice was harsh, "Major Lennox? I am Luke Terot, this is Mr. Marcus Black, and Mr. Ashlan Rhone. We got a rather disturbing report at the Pentagon, and came to sort everything out."

Lennox turned and led the way back into his office, taking his seat behind the desk, he knew this was going to be an official meeting, and didn't want to give them any advantage he could. "What type of news would be grave enough to bring three Pentagon officials to my door?"

Mr. Rhone cleared his throat and reached into a brief case. Lennox tried to kill any curiosity before it had a chance to take rout. Whatever was to transpire today was not going to be for his benefit. Rhone withdrew a color photograph of Tera, taken from a distance, but had been enhanced enough that you could distinguish her facial features. "Do you know this girl?"

Taking the photograph, Lennox pretended to study it for a few moments before passing it back, "she looks familiar, is she a new TV star?"

"We don't have times for games Major, this is a national security breach. You let this girl run around on the NEST base, she was privy to who knows how many of our nations best kept secrets, and you never bothered to report her to us?" Black demanded, he was so upset a few drops of spittle landed on Lennox's desk.

"We ran her likeness through every processor known to mankind, and came up empty. We also know that she arrived with your newest group of Transformers. So we will ask again, Sir. Do you know this girl?" Terot seemed a little to much at home making demands, and not supplying any information himself.

Lennox glared at the men before him, he had know this would come back to bite him in the ass one day, he just hadn't wanted it to be so dam soon. "I know her, her name is Tera, she was staying at the base for a few weeks."

"And you didn't think that a visitor like that would need to be cleared through the proper channels? For all we know she could be a foreign operative, or even an alien herself." Black said arms now crossed over his chest.

"An alien? Tera?" Lennox told the part of his mind that kept saying it makes sense to shut up, "she never demonstrated any kind of a threat while she was here, nor did she ever express any interest in anything other then the Autobots, which she already knew about before coming to the base."

Rhone shushed his colleges who were both forming demands instead of questions, "How did the girl already know about the Autobots?"

Scratching his head Lennox tried to think back to that first meeting, "she saw them land if I remember correctly. And was curious, who wouldn't be?"

"Most teenagers would see something like that and run the other direction." Black growled.

"Tera is made of stronger stuff then the average teenager." Lennox answered with a shrug.

Black grumbled something under his breath, but Lennox couldn't make it out, so he ignored the man and focused on the more reasonable of the group, Rhone.

"National security, and your duty to report such matters aside, we have not been able to get a hit on who she is. If she were working with a foreign terrorist group, then we should have at least her mention of her, but nothing. Which leads us to believe that she is the other concern, a alien." Rhone paused to let his team catch on to his meaning. "Did she ever demonstrate an unusual abilities while she was in your presence? Or did your men ever report anything odd about her?"

The first thing that leapt to Lennox's mind was the rapid healing; he pushed that though aside as hard and fast as he could. Even if she was an alien, he wasn't going to hand her over to these men on a silver platter. "Anything unusual, like being able to hang around a few tons of metal and not find that odd? Well if you go by that standard then every one of my men is a potential alien. I am sorry gentlemen, I would need something specific." He was furious, the only way that the Pentagon had gotten a picture of Tera was if one of his men had sent it to them. If Tera was an alien, then she had lied to him from the start, and the Autobots had known the truth and not said anything, theirs was a trust and friendship that he didn't want to jeopardize.

"I think you are misunderstanding us, we don't mean the child any harm, we just need to know what her powers are, what she is capable of, so that we as a planet can be prepared. Is she alone, are there others like her on our planet, could she be what the Decepitcons are searching for?" Rhone asked in as calm of a voice as he could. "These are questions that the planet need to know, we need to get an idea of what kinds of aliens are out there."

Lennox tried to maintain his outward calm, his insides were screaming for answers. "Considering that I live on a base with several aliens, I am probably not the best person to ask when it comes to looking for things out of the normal. But I thank you gentlemen for your time, and I can assure you that no further instances like this will happen in the future." He stood ending the meeting. After ushering the men from his office as fast as he could, and remain some semblance of politeness, Lennox called for Epps and explained everything that had happened to the other man.

Epps gave a long whistle when Lennox had finished his recount of the visit from the Pentagon. "They are going to all this trouble for some little girl who was staying with us for a few weeks?"

Lennox put his head in his hands and closed his eyes as tight as he could, as though he were trying to block out the world. "Could it be true?" when Epps was silent for to long Lennox opened his eyes, stared at his friend and repeated, "Could it be true, could Tera be an alien?"

On the end of a long weary sigh, Epps admitted that there was a possibility, "the girl shows up out of nowhere, with the Autobots, doesn't seem to find anything odd with spending time with several enormous mountains of metal, we cant find any record of her in any database, the Pentagon couldn't find record of her. I don't know man, I don't want to think of the possibility that she could be, and I don't want to even think of what would happen if there is in fact a real MIB team out there somewhere. But we have to consider it."

Lennox scrubbed his face with the palms of both hands. "Do we? I mean couldn't it just be that she isn't photogenic? Is that a possibility?"

"Listen man, the best way to get the answers that you need is to go to the source." When Lennox just started at him blankly Epps continued, "go on vacation man, go see her. You need a break, and it would be good to check up on Sam and see how he's getting along, you haven't seen him in over a year."

"How would I ask her a question like that? Just walk up to her and ask what she thinks about the weather, and oho, by the way, what planet were you born on?" Lennox slammed his hand onto the desk and exploded out of his chair to pace the length of his office.

Epps leaned against the front of the desk and watched the other man pacing, "you could always go ask Optimus, I am sure he knows what is going on."

Lennox froze in his pacing, then started again so fast he nearly tripped himself. "No I don't want to go to the Autobots with this just yet, we need them focusing on searching for the Decepticons, not worrying about Tera, she has Sideswipe with her anyway." He didn't want to even consider that the Decepticons were on Earth searching for her, he wouldn't consider that she could be in danger.

"Do your self, and everyone on this base a favor, go see her. Find out the truth, she cares for you man, everyone saw it." Epps tried to soften his voice to soothing, but there was no effect on Lennox's pacing. "Do you want me to go with you?"

"No. No, I need to do this myself." Turning he regarded his friend. "Your right, I just need to handle this in a mature manner. I will wait to this weekend and drive up to see them, on the pretext of checking up on how Sam is liking his senior year."

"Sounds good man, just take Iron Hide with you? I don't think its safe right now for you to be in a car that cant drive it self!"


	9. Pizza anyone?

**OMG sorry everyone for this taking forever to get out! I started RN school and I lost my life…literally… no free time… no sleep… if you don't believe me-ask a nurse!**

**But its summer break! Whoo-Hoo, and I get to write again! So I hope everyone likes it! Please read and review =) and happy summer!**

News that one of the aliens had made it to earth reached Starscream at last. Not only was she potentially a member of the Royal family, she was being protected by the Autobots. He cursed the luck that they had found her first.

Starscream was in command of several Decepticons who were loyal to The Fallen, and knew the importance of finding a descendent of the Royal family. With the arrival of good news came new orders, Starscream placed two Decepticons on her, they were to track her, get to know her habits, where she liked spend her time. And find any leverage they could use against her. He wanted to know everything he could about this little power plant.

A week after the new orders, one of his trackers came back to report the most interesting news, not only was the alien of the royal blood line, she was also living with another human that he knew far to well. She had her own guardian, an Autobot whose soul purpose was to protect her. Let that poor bot just try to protect her from him, Starscream mused. But with that knowledge came options and choices. He didn't necessarily want to have a huge drawn out battle with the Autobots-that could be to nasty and potentially spark threatening to himself. But a human as leverage…would be so much easier…

It had been weeks since the dreams started, the leaves on the trees were all turning a rusted color and began to fall, creating a surreal world that Tera enjoyed. It was comforting to see the world change, to know that she wasn't the only one who could change her outward appearance to suit the situation. At the same time it made her lonely, and home sick again. Her world had seasons as well, and she missed them, missed watching the world turn green and healthy after a rain, missed running through white clumps of snow and playing with her siblings. With a slight shake of her head she reminded herself that she was too old for that now, she felt like she had aged a dozen years since being home. And maybe she had, being a royal she would age faster then a commoner from her planet. Tera smiled at her foolishness, she hadn't aged that much, she just felt older, more mature. Learning in her dreams, and learning while she was awake was beginning to take a toile on her.

She was looking forward to this weekend more then she could tell. Spending 2 whole days with Sideswipe was the first thing on her to do list. He had expressed a desire to return to that wooded area they had found on their first weekend with Sam's family. It was nothing special, just a clearing a few hours out of town surrounded by a wooded area that stretched for miles in every direction. The perfect place where Sideswipe could practice his martial arts, and where Tera was able to absorb peace and fresh air. She enjoyed watching him go through his moves, and he enjoyed getting the chance to hone his skills and stretch after being cooped up in the garage most of the week, it had become a kind of weekend tradition for the two of them to disappear to the clearing. With a slight smile playing at her lips, she picked up her pace to the parking lot, the sooner they got to Bee, the sooner she would be with Sideswipe.

Tara saw him first, and stumbled a few steps. She couldn't believe what she was seeing to be real, leaning against the hood of the bright yellow Camaro she knew to be Bumble Bee was a vision that haunted her heart. He wasn't in uniform, something that struck her as odd, and yet she knew him. By the long lean body, and the slightly unkempt brown hair, she knew him even though his head was down, and he wasn't looking at them. She would know him in any setting, Captain William Lennox. In half a second every single female that was around her was suddenly converted from a fellow student to a rival. She saw the way they were pointing at him, some giggling some looking him up and down, and she didn't like it. She had never felt this way, and it took her another half second to name the emotion 'jealousy', she had never felt it before, and didn't think she liked it. Like it or not the feeling was there and it was real, it gave her equal parts pride and horror to realize that if any of those other girls wanted to physically fight over him, she could burn them to a crisp without hesitating-she was supposed to be from a peaceful race, one that wouldn't take pride in hurting others. Yet the feeling was there, and it was real. That realization had her stumbling to a halt.

She didn't realize that she had stopped in her tracks until Mikaela turned and gave her arm a gentle tug. Then Mikaela followed her gaze and smiled, not taking no for an answer, Mikaela pulled Tera back up to Sam and Miles and subtly turned the group in the direction of the parking lot.

Sam picked up the pace once he saw who was waiting for them, and walked right over and gave him a "man hug" which Tera had learned was a one arm hug that men could give one another and not bring their sexuality into question. With a fond "Will!" the two boys-men Tera corrected herself- embraced. Then Lennox gave Mikaela a welcome hug, and to Tera's surprise she didn't feel threatened by Mikaela hugging him, odd she mused. After Lennox shook hands with Miles, he looked at Tera, and she thought she saw the same terror-expectation-nervousness flash through his eyes that she was feeling herself, but there was something more, something that hadn't been there before, weariness? She raised a hand and waved to him from behind the others, the idea of touching him-even in such an innocent gesture as a handshake, made her knees week.

"So what brings you here man? Not that we aren't happy to see you, its just a surprise! A good one though." Sam said, as always taking lead on the conversation.

"Got some time off, and thought I would drop in to see how your senior year was going and how our girl was doing, she's not giving you to much trouble is she?" Lennox asked with a smile for Tera. She noted that it wasn't his normal smile, but a tighter lipped one, a nervous smile.

Sam turned to Tera and laughed, "trouble hell no, we barley see her she spend most of her free time with the-in the garage, in the garage." Sam caught himself and smiled nervously at the groups of student that were walking past, some of them eyeing the new arrival with interest, others more intent on getting home to start their homework, or play the latest video game-most likely the video game option.

"Maybe we should go get something to eat, my treat? You will just have to tell me how to get wherever we are going." Lennox covered smoothly.

"Hey guys I would love to! Count me in!" Miles exclaimed excitedly.

Mikaela smiled knowingly, "it would be way to crowded with all of us in the Camaro, could one of us go with you Will? Tera you want to go with him?" Her piercing blue eyes shot through Tera, the alien paled on the spot.

"Wouldn't it be much more effective if one of us who was more confident with the area went with the Captain? Just in case he were to get lost, it would be so unforeseen for me to accompany him, new to the area as I am I would not be the least bit help in such a situation." Mikaela's blank look made Tera wonder if she had slipped back into her native language, and in a way she had, she had used "Royal Talk' the way she had always phrased things on her home planet, here she was learning slang, and she struggled to find it now. "I mean, Miles should go with you, he knows this area better then I do." Since she knew the Captain would be able to follow Sam anywhere, without the help of a human-or alien-navigator, Tera knew she was clutching at straws for an excuse to not be alone with Lennox, she just hoped the others wouldn't notice.

Miles, Sam and Lennox stared at the two girls for a long moment before Miles broke the silence. "Sure I will show you the way man, and your lucky, you should see the way Sam drives, its scary. What is your ride anyway man?"

Lennox stared at Tera for a moment longer, but she refused to look up and meet his gaze. "I brought my truck. It's parked over there on the street."

Tera's eyes shot up, and locked on the large black unmistakable form of Ironhide. At once she felt homesick, a longing so strong it made her eyes sting.

Running a hand through his thick hair, Lennox turned and led the way to 'his truck', Miles in tow, chatting the whole time. He wondered how he had gotten such a short stick in this deal, and promised himself that it would never happen again. He shot one look over his shoulder and felt an odd pang of jealousy for the way Tera was looking at Ironhide. Dam it he was not going to be jealous of a truck that transformed into a giant robot. Giving himself a mental kick in the ass, he knew he would loose that argument. He opened the door a little rougher then needed and hissed under his breath to the listening truck "she's more excited to see you then me, this was a terrible idea."

Miles hopped in the passenger seat and began chatting about how cool the truck was, Lennox nodded and turned the key. The radio came to life as the engine roared, it was a preacher giving a sermon about how important it was to have patience in life. With a snort Lennox hit the CD button and smiled as the preacher was replaced with Rise Against, which was enough-thankfully-to drown out Miles on the drive the pizza parlor of choice.

The pizza parlor was crammed full of teenagers, all celebrating that fact that it was a weekend. Sam was able to spot an empty table and slid into the seat just before a group of JV football players sat down. He gave them a charming smile and pointed to a table that was being cleared. Tera crammed into the booth between Mikaela and Lennox, and was very much aware of the fact that Mikaela was pushing her ever so subtly into Lennox. Not that Tera was complaining, she was far to aware of the body heat that she could feel coming from the attractive male next to her. She also noticed that the muscles on his right arm-the arm closest to her-were tense, and that while he enjoyed the light conversation, he didn't let down his guard.

After an overly awkward meal of pizza and cavity causing soda, the group headed to the door, again Tera felt as though every cell in her body was aware of Lennox. She didn't have to see him to know where he was behind her, even the way he innocently held the door open for herself and Mikaela made her aware of him. Outside the air had dropped several degrees; another indication of the turning of the season, Mikaela zipped up her fashionable jacket, and slid her arm through Sam's.

Standing outside the cars, Tera was afraid of the awkwardness of the goodbye that was coming. The fear slipped idly to the back of her mind as she set eyes on Ironhide and something in side of her began to relax, she felt at home. Gently resting one hand on the bumper of the large trunk, a sigh escaped her lips, and she sent a silent thank you to the stars for letting her see another member of her new family again. She loved Sideswipe, but all of the Autobots had found a place in her heart. She was lost for a few moments in her own world, unaware of the passing of those around her and the discussion of those in her group. The conversation around her finaly penetrated her thoughts when she heard Mikaela ask, "So where are you staying while your in town?"

"I will just find a hotel in the area," Lennox answered with a shrug.

Sam shook his head, "No way man, we have room at our place, why don't you stay with us?"

Tera opened her eyes and turned back to the conversation, "yes please stay with us." She was so intent on them staying near her that Tera reached out and put a hand on the Captains forearm. The idea of having Ironhide to spent time with as well as Lennox was so overwhelming that for the moment she didn't notice the way his muscles tightened under her light tough. "I never stay in my room, so you could sleep there." The look Sam gave her made her blush, "or on the couch, I am sure that would be just as comfortable." She dropped her hand; it tingled from where she had touched him.

"If it wouldn't be to many people in the house…" Lennox shifted his stance ever so slightly away from Tera and glanced pointedly at Milies who was not paying attention to the conversation, instead he was checking out a group of freshmen girls that were walking by in overly short skirts and Ugg boots.

Following the gaze Sam nodded, "hey Miles want a ride home?"

"Nah man I think I am going to get a bit more pizza, catch ya later." Without looking back, Miles followed the girls into the pizza parlor.

Mikaela smiled knowing at Tera, who swallowed hard, "do you think you can find your way back to Sam's house?" The question was rhetorical, the Autobots didn't need directions, so this was Mikaela's not so subtle way of getting Tera to talk with Lennox.

Forcing a smile Tera went to the passenger side of Ironhide as answer, she raised an eyebrow in question to the rest of them, "are we going home, or are we staying for more pizza?"

Knowing that Lennox was sleeping on the couch kept Tera pinned in her room, and with an extra Autobot body outside it was painful to be locked indoors. Dinner with the parents had been awkward. If Lennox noted that she hadn't touched the pizza after school, and hadn't so much as sniffed the lasagna that was for dinner he didn't say anything. But that could have been put to the fact that the lasagna hadn't looked quite right.

Resting her forehead against the plain of glass cooled her; it also made her feel lonely. If she was sleeping in Sideswipe he could turn the heater on, and there was always Bumble Bee's music to soother her. In her room surrounded by "homely" things like a bed, and paintings on the walls she felt alone. And had nowhere to run from the thoughts that ran through her mind. What had changed? Why was the Captain now looking at her like she was someone to be wary of? What had she done?

Her throat closed at the thought that she had somehow mislead him, in any way that she could have avoided. Did he know? Was that it? Did he somehow know that she wasn't a human? Tears pricked her eyes in frustration, another emotion that she wasn't familiar with. What was wrong with her? All of a sudden she was feeling things she never had before. Was it as simple as experiencing puberty on this planet? She hadn't realized that there was so much she didn't know. Her dreams teased her, dared her to be creative, to create things with her natural power that she had never dreamed of before. Every spell that she had seen her grandmother create she could perform. But was that enough? Why was she learning these things? Was it a warning?

Questions circled around her and created doubt in her heart, which was already confused beyond belief. She wanted peace, she wanted freedom, as a Royal she knew that what she wanted always came second to what was needed by those who looked to her. But she wasn't at home anymore, she wasn't a Royal in this world, she was a normal average teenager who had no control over the hormones that were singing in her veins; and every one of them was singing the praises of Captain Lennox. Which confused her even more because he wasn't even her species. So why was she attracted to him? She turned away from the window and flopped down on the bed and curled her body around her pillow hugging it to her chest. On her home world her life-mate would have been chosen for her by her eldest brother-who would have gone on to become the next reining King. Here things were so much more confusing. How did human teenagers go though this and not go mad?

She looked happy; Lennox kept repeating in his head, she was safe here with Sam. A few private words had confirmed that she spent more time with the Autobots then with the humans, but that was as it had been on the base. She always spent more time with the Autobots, maybe that was more familiar to her because she was an alien?

He turned his head and pushed his face further into his pillow, refusing to accept that reality. Tomorrow was Saturday, Sam had hinted that he and Mikaela were going to be at the movies in the afternoon and while Lennox was invited to come with them, Tera would be free. Maybe he could ask her then? But how? It wasn't like he could walk up to her and say, "hey nice weather this time of the year, and by the way are you an alien? On top of not knowing how to ask, he didn't know that he wanted to know. Just being around her felt right, after he got over the initial jealousy of her being more excited to see Ironhide. That stuck in his throat like a chicken bone, who would have guessed that the girl would want to see the truck more then him.

But he was here; he had made it even though it had taken him a few weeks longer then expected to have free time, now it was up to him to make the best of it.


	10. Road Trip

**I love summer break! I get to write! I just wish someone would review =) hint hint! Hope you like this chapter! I am working the next few, and hopefully they will be ready to go up soon!**

Dawn's first light trickled through the window and reminded Lennox that the couch he had tried to sleep on was less comfortable then the worst army cot he could imagine. It wouldn't have been so bad if it hadn't smelled like Sam's dogs. But that was something that he wasn't sure he wanted to think too much about. It was the start of a new day, and hopefully he would get the answers that he needed. Upon rising he heard more snaps, crackles and pops then he had the last time he ate cereal, the first thing on his mind was a piping hot shower, one that could penetrate muscles and force them to relax. After that he was going to get down to the business of answering some questions. Maybe he could convince Tera to do that over a breakfast out, because he wasn't sure he could stomach another of Judy's meals. He liked Sam's mothers, but she had no business to be in a kitchen if her lasagna last night was anything to go by, he understood why Sam had eaten so much pizza after school yesterday.

It felt weird and lonely to wake up alone in a bed instead of in Sideswipes front seat. She missed the music, missed the smell of the garage, and mostly she missed not being alone. Even when she had slept in her small room at the NEST base she had been able to hear the Autobots outside, and known she wasn't that far from family. She shook her head to clear that thought before she could get too emotional and was reminded of her dream last night. Last nights dreams had been a lot like the rest, and more frightening.

Like the others she had been following her grandmother, but this time she watched her make weapons out of pure power, the same weapons that the old Queen had used against Starscream so long ago. Throwing knifes, short and long swords, shields that could be throw and then constricted to hold an object in place or crush it, even a bow and arrows made entirely of power. She had watched the old queen go through practice moves with each weapon and felt the pull of muscles on bone as her own body began to learn those precise moves. Some of them she had seen Sideswipe perform with his own deadly blades, others held a deadly grace to them that she had never seen before

Now standing in the shower, she moved her body as she had seen her grandmother do and was surprised at the fluid motions that came from her dreams, she watched almost as if an outsider as she went through moves with nearly the grace of Sideswipe, when her third move had her stepping on a bar of soap and falling flat on her ass, Tera decided Sideswipe was more graceful. Which made her want to practice, as that thought occurred to her, Tera was torn between the horror of wanting to learn combat maneuvers and the regret that this knowledge had not come in time to defend her own home world.

After finishing in the shower Tera raced to her bedroom, the only thought on her mind was spending the entire weekend with her Autobot. She dressed in layers, jeans with thick boots, a thank top with a sweater and scarf over it. Sideswipe said he wanted to practice; well she wanted to watch, and maybe pick up a few pointers from the martial arts master. She grabbed her backpack and unceremoniously dumped its contents on the bed and put a change of clothes in it. She ran to the bathroom and grabbed her various items and tossed them in a side pocket. The last thing she forced in the bag was a blanket, she didn't really need it to stay warm, but it was nice to snuggle up into.

Content that she had everything she threw the bag over her arm, wincing when she felt the sore muscles, not a bad sore more like a worked a little to hard last night in her sleep sore. Rolling her eyes she headed down stairs. The wonderful smells of Judy's whimsical cooking hit her like a slap in the face. She could see the Captain sitting up on the couch looking like he hadn't slept at all, and she felt her heart skip a beat. Not because of anything other then she saw a person in pain, she told herself firmly.

Slowing and silently she reached the bottom of the stairs, Tera paused and watched him. He seemed to be thinking hard, she could tell by the way his shoulders were hunched-or maybe he just stiff. The car ride home from the pizza parlor had been awkward at first. Eventually they had stumbled onto the ever-safe topic of conversation of the rest of the Autobot team and that had lasted until they were safely back with Sam and Mikaela. But Tera couldn't shake the feeling that there was something that he wanted to ask her. The way he looked at her yesterday was different then it had been at the base, as though he was trying to see past something. She knew he couldn't see her real form. She couldn't see her real form unless she was in it. But that didn't change the fact that something had changed.

"Oho Tera, dear your awake. Go and see if Sam is awake yet," Judy called to her from the kitchen. "not that the boy ever sees anything before the crack of noon on a weekend. Honestly if sleeping were an Olympic sport the boy would metal…"

For the briefest moment Tera and the Captains eyes locked on one anther, and she felt the oddest sensation, something she couldn't quantify, but it felt almost like butterflies in her stomach. Then the moment was gone and his eyes were filled with suspicion again. "Sure Judy!" Tera dropped her backpack at the foot of the stairs and ran back up as fast as she could, she could feel his eyes on her the whole way.

Sam was, as expected, still asleep. He somehow managed to take up the whole of his queen bed, something Tera found rather amazing considering he wasn't that big of a human. Knowing that nothing short of a bucket of ice water would wake him up, she closed the door and turned right into Lennox, which caused her to fall back into Sam's door and hit her head on it. She shook her head slightly and forced her eyes to focus until there was just one Captain Lennox in front of her.

"Sorry Tera, I was just going to take a shower, and then do you want to go get some breakfast? Or coffee?" he stared at her. And stared at her.

Tera opened and closed her eyes a few times, before his words sank in. "Breakfast? Actually Sideswipe wanted to practice, why don't we get something to go and that way Ironhide can workout with him." The words were out of her mouth before she realized what she was saying. Her peaceful weekend of sorting through her latest dream would be gone if he was there with her.

He blinked and looked taken aback for a moment then smiled, "Sounds perfect, let me get cleaned up and I will meet you outside in a few minuets?"

Tera nodded her head and managed to get out a "mmhmm". But still couldn't believe what she had done. She raced down the stairs before she could say anything else that would put her foot in her mouth, called to Judy over her shoulder that Sam was indeed still asleep and she was going to be with Sideswipe for the weekend, grabbed her bag from where it had fallen and ran out the back door. She slowed to a walk out side and forced herself to take deep lung filling breaths. It was going to be fine, she could still watch Sideswipe practice, she just couldn't try out the moves herself yet. Dam.

Telling herself that this was for the best, Tera went to tell the Autobots the good news. Ironhide was parked in the driveway, with Bee and Sideswipe in the garage, she chose the garage first, and hit the open button so that Ironhide wouldn't feel left out in the conversation. She had enough time to outline her idea to Autobots and stash her bag in Sideswipe's back seat before Lennox joined her. A small part of her mind registered that he smelled good, but she firmly told that part to shut up.

"Do you do this often?" Lennox asked as he leaned against Bee. When Tera just gave him a blank stare he continued, "go away for the weekend?"

Blushing she nodded, "Sideswipe likes to get out and move, and I cant blame him, Bee and him take turns driving us to school, but that's not a lot of exercise. So we get away. I get to hang out with nature and him, and he gets to practice."

Lennox nodded, "Do you normally bring a tent? Or sleeping bags?" When his only answer was a blank stare his head fell for a moment, "I am sure there are some in here, you cant always sleep in his car form…" when he noticed her blushing he add "or I guess you can, but I cant. That night on the couch was as bad as I can take for a while." He began searching the garage for camping gear and found two sleeping bags, a semi clean cooler and a tent that he thought had most of the parts. "Are you all right using your backpack as a pillow?"

"I would be fine sleeping in the front seat, really I would." She tried again.

As he put the last of the gear in Ironhide's bed he told her he wouldn't be comfortable, and if she wanted the option it was there, he even promised not to snore, which made her smile.

She looked at him, really looked at him, he was different this man before her, from the military leader that she had seen. He was more relaxed, and it wasn't just that he was wearing jeans and a white t-shirt, it was more then that. She wondered when the last time was that he had been able to just go and hang out. When his easy going smile falter, Tera looked away, embarrassed that she had been caught staring at him.

"Are Judy and Ron going to be ok with this?" Lennox asked.

Looking at him a little dumbfounded Tera stuttered, "why, Why wouldn't they be ok with it?"

He looked away, and put his hands on his hips, "Are they going to be ok with you going alone with me? I know they trust me and all, but still I am a grown man."

"And legally I am 18, I can make up my own mind." She raised her chin as if challenging him to deny it. Then she smiled and lost the chin tilt, "besides its not like we are going to be alone, we are brining with us two very large and in charge chaperons."

Lennox looked at the truck in the driveway and the corvette behind him and had the distinct feeling that they were agreeing with her. He shook his head; he had given her one last chance to get out of being alone with him. "All right then lets get going, I want to swing by the store and get some rations for the road, and for camping."

Tera smiled and headed for Sideswipe while Lennox went to Ironhide.

The driving arrangements got shifted after they picked up what Lennox said was a few munchies and what Tera thought was enough to feed half the men at base. The Autobots ganged up on them, meaning Sideswipe locked his doors forcing Tera to ride with the Captain in Ironhide. She grumbled at first, and thought rather unkind thoughts about her new family for the first half hour of the drive, after that panic set in. She was doing it. She was getting away for a weekend with the one human who drove her crazy-in a good way, not the way the Twins did. As soon as she realized that she began to get fidgety, and couldn't sit still.

"Do you need to make a pit stop?" Lennox asked after watching Tera go from sitting on her hands, to pressing them between her knees back to sitting on them three times less then five minuets.

"Pardon?" she said looking at him and then away.

He sighed, "From what Ironhide said we still have a few hours until we get to where Sideswipe wants to train, so if you need to take a pit stop we can. Or if you just need to stretch your legs…" his voice trailed off when she gave him a blank stare.

What she needed was for Sideswipe to not be a pain at the moment and let her ride with him. But no her sweet Autobot had decided to get an attitude and insisted that she ride with the Captain. "I am fine, really, maybe just a little tired is all."

"I hear you there, that couch isn't meant for sleeping, and I have slept in some places you wouldn't believe…" Lennox stopped when he saw the intent look on Tera's face.

She looked away and fiddled with the dash board in front of her for a moment. "You have a lot of stories from all your time in the military right?" when he nodded in confirmation she pushed, "like you said we have a while to go, any chance I can hear some of them?"

Lennox studied her a moment, he couldn't fight the smile that tugged at his lips, "you really want to hear? Some of the, hell most of them involve fighting."

Tera paled a little but nodded. She didn't like fighting, but she wanted to find some common ground, and his voice was nice to listen to.

He studied her for a moment then looked out the front window. He was used to being in cars that drove themselves, but he still felt the desire at times to put his hands on the steering wheel. He surrendered to that need now, more to give himself a little bit of a distraction, as he searched his memories for a story that she wouldn't find to scary or embarrassing to himself. He settled on one that put Epps squarely at the butt of the joke, but wasn't as bad as some of the ones he could tell her.

She snuggled a little more into Ironhide's front seat and listened to the story, the warm cadence of his voice and the slight movement of the cab soon had her dozing, and before he was through the intro to his story had put her to sleep.

The Captain smiled when her head landed on his shoulder, he hadn't been telling a bedtime story, but he used to have the same effect when he got in a car for a long drive as a teenager, he went right to sleep. Something he was now envious of, especially considering how poorly he had slept last night. But at least the dreams hadn't come, it was still a crappy nights sleep, but it had been dream free. "Ironhide you still listening?"

The robots voice came in through the radio, "hell ya, and I am broadcasting to Sideswipe, so please don't stop the story."

Lennox smiled, his gaze drifted from the road to the girl sitting next to him, her head was on his shoulder at an odd angle, so he shifted, lifting his right arm up, he angled her so she had her left shoulder on his chest, and her head was at a more natural angle.

"Hey now don't get to frisky," Ironhide said, but it was clear from his tone of voice that he approved.

Lennox rolled his eyes, "Do you want me to continue the story?"

"Yes please." Was all Ironhide said.

He looked down at her one last time, part of him noticed how warm she was to the touch, mostly he just noticed how nice it felt to have a womanly figure snuggled up to him again. His throat closed a little with that last though so he cleared it and continued his story for his Autobot audience.

The change from smooth paved road to a rougher off road track bounced Tera back to consciousness, she fought waking up, instead clinging to the dreamless sleep that she had enjoyed. She felt safe, and warm, and content in a way she had never felt before. She couldn't name what she smelled; only that she liked its spicy warmth. She snuggled deeper into the warmth that seemed to be radiating behind her left shoulder, and sighed in contentment.

When she felt a much harder bump Tera opened her eyes, fully intent on telling Sideswipe to watch where he was going. But the surrounding wasn't rite, Sideswipe wasn't this big, and he certainly wasn't this high off the ground. She stared around the interior of the truck for a moment her vision finally coming to rest on the chest she was leaning against. Closing her eyes for a moment she sent a prayer to the stars that she wasn't where she thought she was, then opened them and looked up meekly in to William Lennox's eyes. She gave him a slow shy smile, then bolted to the other side of the cab, and whispered sorry.

He gave her a startled look but answered the smile. "Don't be, you looked like you needed a nap as much as I did."

"You were asleep too?" her voice came out in a high pitched squeak.

"I made it about half way though Ironhide's story on the best prank he ever pulled on Ratchet, and then I was out. I didn't snore did I?"

Tera just stared at him, and made a mental note to get Ironhide to tell her that story.

"You snore louder then a hillbilly with hay fever." Sideswipe's voice said through the radio.

Lennox rolled his eyes, he looked a little embarrassed so Tera felt the need to assure him that if he had been snoring, it hadn't disturbed her sleep. She didn't mention how comfortable he had been, or how safe he felt, and she was never going to mention how good he smelled.


	11. Smores anyone?

The clearing was just as she remembered it; beautiful and wonderfully secluded. Ironhide and Sideswipe headed for the far corner where Tera had stashed a few jugs of water for herself and a few oil canisters for Sideswipe. Nearly as soon as Ironhide's bed was empty of camping gear and Lennox's rucksack, and Tera's backpack was on the ground, Sideswipe and Ironhide were racing across the field and changing to their natural form. The two human forms stood in place for several minuets and watched the deadly grace of the Autobots as they spared.

. "You don't think they could get hurt doing this, could they?" Tera asked as she watched Sideswipe dodge under Ironhide, and land a blow in the middle of the larger bots back.

"Hurt? Nah." Lennox said, then was quiet for a moment while he actually considered the question, "I don't think so anyways." He winced when Ironhide swung wild and connected with one of Sideswipe's legs. "I hope not, that's one hell of a long walk back to San Diego."

Tera was watching for a full minuet alone before she heard the first, of many to follow, four lettered words as Lennox opened the tents bag. "Something wrong?" even to herself, her voice sounded a little to innocent.

A few more four-letter words were expressed before Lennox answered her, "This tent is older then both of us put together-"

-not likely, she thought.

"-and I am not sure it even is a tent!" He stared at the jumble of silver pipes and cloth on the ground and thought to himself, 'where is a private when you need one?'

Tera smiled, she had been so nervous about being alone with him, about what to say and do, and how to act. Now that they were here, now that they were alone her nerves simply drooped into insignificance and she felt herself relax. "While you are playing with the tent, I am going for firewood."

He nodded but didn't look at her, he was to busy staring at the odd assortment at his feet.

She jogged into the woods surrounding the clearing. On their second trip Tera had made the small fire pit, not really for the need of the fires warmth, but it had provided comforting sounds and smells, and provided light that was more natural. Nothing against the Autobots headlights, but firelight was more soothing. She traveled until she was out of sight of the clearing, she could still hear Ironhide and Sideswipe sparing, so she knew she wasn't to far out. Closing her eyes she remembered some of the spells she had seen the old Queen do last night. Remembering the feel of those weapons in her hands while she had slept, Tera picked one, nothing big for starters, just a throwing knife.

Power tingled on her palms as the small knife was formed, when she looked down, Tera saw a blade the color of starlight in her hand. A laugh escaped her lips and she aimed a tree, then froze. She couldn't hurt the tree. She looked around and frowned, there was nothing here she could use as a target. She closed her eyes again and imagined a dartboard, but larger, she placed it mentally 10 yards in front her. When her eyes opened she smiled to see the board made of power waiting to be used. Taking aim Tera let the blade fly, she frowned when it bounced off the board and landed a few feet away. With a wave of her hand Tera called the knife back to her, took aim and tried again.

After the fifth try the blade struck. This was going to be harder then she had realized. Suddenly she realized she didn't know how long she had been gone. Reabsorbing the power from the blade and target Tera grabbed an armful of wood from the ground and jogged back to the clearing.

The Captain was in some sort of death match with the tent, and Tera couldn't tell who was winning. Both Autobots were watching the fight-from a safe distance Tera noted. Satisfied that no one would notice her absence Tera dropped her armload of wood by the fire pit and jogged back into the woods.

On Each trip she tried a different weapon that she had seen her great grandmother make. She stayed away about fifteen minuets and then ran back with more wood and to make sure that everyone was occupied. She tried the short sword, long sword, spear and staff, and finally the bow and arrows. With every weapon came more confidence, and success. The bow and arrows was no different, as soon as she got the feel for what she was doing with power, she could send the arrows anywhere. Aiming was not a problem, if she was off a little she could correct it with a thought. She lost track of time with the arrows, enjoying them too much. The sound of her name being called had her freezing in place.

"Tera? Tera!" Lennox yelled, his voice was approaching her.

With a gasp her power was reabsorbed, and she dropped to her knees and began gathering wood. She tried to look natural.

"Tera, there you are, didn't you hear me?" Lennox asked as he approached her.

"Hmm? No sorry I guess I was kinda lost in thought." She stood up, her arms full of another load for the fire.

He studied her a moment then began gathering some himself, "I finally, no thanks to the Autobots!" he yelled the last part over his shoulder.

Tera pursed her lips together to hide her smile when they both clearly heard Ironhide and Sideswipe yell back "Your Welcome!" in unison.

Lennox closed his eyes and counted to ten. Stable again he opened them. "Got that tent set up." He smiled. "And we have more then enough wood."

Tera noticed that knowing that didn't stop him from filling his arms all the way. "Better to much then to little." She offered.

He nodded and picked up his last piece. They headed back to the clearing, the sound of dueling Autobots in the air once again. Awkwardness filled the space between Lennox and Tera again. Now that both of them were no distractions, neither of them knew what to expect.

Tera dropped her armful into the large pile of wood and had to agree with the Captain, there was more then enough for the nights fire. The tent that he had set up didn't look exactly like what Tera had expected, but it was…up…sort of. And made of canvas so technically it was a tent, even though Tera had never seen anything like it. Granted her limited knowledge of tents were the ones she had seen at the NEST base.

She covered her mouth with her hand to hide her smile. Lennox gave her a look she couldn't read and dropped his pile into the fire pit. He grumbled something half under his breath while he fished a lighter out of his pocket and leaned to light the twigs on the bottom.

"I am going to get the blanket." Tera managed to say with a straight face. She spent longer then necessary at her backpack, trying to swallow the tickle in her throat.

Lennox took a deep breath and puffed out his cheeks. Standing he stretched muscles that seemed to be screaming in protest. He opened the cooler and surveyed the food he had brought with him; Hotdogs, sandwich makings, a few apples and bananas, and smores material. With a slight shrug he ignored the real food and went for the chocolate, gram crackers and marshmallows. He pulled out the skewer he had bought and settled on the cooler with the food in front of him.

Tera spread the blanket out near the fire and sat daintily on the edge closest to him and the fire. She watched as the Captain expertly skewered two marshmallows and held them over the fire.

He looked up and caught her watching, a slow smile spread on his lips. "Ever had a smore?"

Tera shook her head.

His smile grew, "hold this." He handed her the skewer before she could say no, "keep it just above the flames. I don't like mine burnt to a crisp."

Tera froze the moment he handed her the skewer not sure how to not burn the white puffy things on the other end to burnt blobs.

"Just rotate them every few seconds so they get a nice even golden brown." Lennox sounded like he was enjoying this a little too much.

She watched as he pulled out two gram crackers, broke each in half and laid them on the cooler in front of himself. Then took a chocolate bar and broke it in half and set each half on one of the gram halves. His looked up and caught her eye, without looking he said, "your mellows are on fire."

"My what?" Tera asked, then she jumped back squeaking when she saw the balls of fire where her marshmallows had been.

Lennox laughed, "don't worry we can try again." He took the skewer from her and knocked the flaming mellows into the fire pit, skewered two more and handed them it back to her. "Roasting marshmallows is a time honored tradition of camping." He said looking at the fire.

Tera's was so focused on not burning her marshmallows she barley heard him.

"I used to go camping with my family every summer and my brothers and I would have contests on who could get our marshmallows to catch on fire and burn the longest." He laughed to himself, "but now that I am a mature male." He shot her a look, but she was still staring at the marshmallows she was rotating slowly to evenly cook them. "I prefer them golden brown instead of charcoal."

They were silent for a few moments Tera intent on her marshmallow cooking and Lennox watching her. "Do you not see your family anymore?" She asked him.

He was silent a little to long before simply saying softly "no, not anymore." He reached for the skewer and she handed it too him, not sure what had changed, Tera felt as though he had withdrawn from her a little.

She watched as he pulled a marshmallow of the skewer and pinned it between the other gram half and the chocolate. He did the same with the other and handed it to her.

Tera started to refuse, she hadn't eaten anything yet while on this planet, didn't technically need to.

Lennox gave her a charming smile, "Its tradition, you have to have at least one smore while camping."

She frowned slightly but took the gooey mess from him. He smiled and took a big bite of his own. Tera took a nibble from the corner and had to catch the marshmallow that tried to ooze out the sides. Flavors danced across her taste buds, she closed her eyes and saw fireworks as the miracle of chocolate was made known to her. She devoured the rest of the smore in two bites and eagerly began roasting the next batch of marshmallows.

Night settled over the clearing as Sideswipe and Ironhide headed back to the carbon based life forms in their group. The Autobots were joking with one another, throwing mock blows and laughing, they found Lennox and Tera sitting side by side on the blanket having a friendly argument on the exact amount of chocolate that was required for the perfect smore.

Spending time with the Captain felt as natural as it did to spend time with Sideswipe. As the firelight became their only source of light in the black forest around them Ironhide and Sideswipe told stories about Cybertron and their adventures in space. Sideswipe was sharpening his retractable blades and Ironhide was polishing his cannons, while Tera and Lennox sat and listened to the tales.

As Ironhide finished his third story Tera lay back and stared up at the stars. Lennox had gone to the tent for something and came back with one of the sleeping bags. He unzipped it all the way and threw it over Tera where she lay. She smiled in thanks and continued to star at the stars.

Sideswipe followed her gaze and read her mind, "Captain do you know the stories that go with the constellations?"

Lennox shot a look above them and frowned, "some of them." He settled on the blanket next to Tera and smiled when she threw half the sleeping bag over him. He lay his left arm out and tucked his right one behind his head as a pillow. Tera took the invitation and used his left arm as her pillow. "That group there, see the three in a row?"

Ironhide lay back to get a better view; Sideswipe tilted his head back, and leaned against a tree. "That three?" Ironhide asked pointing.

"Ya, that's called Orion's Belt." Tera was a rapped audience. She absorbed every word that the Captain told them about the stars. She wanted to know these stars. Wanted to consider them her friends in the dark the same was she had on her home world. She listened to his story, and found the smooth rhythm of his voice; the smell of campfire and warmth of the blanket and the Captain himself lulled her to a dreamless sleep.

Lennox couldn't seem to bring up the subject of what Tera was. The part of him that wanted answers didn't go away, it just seemed to drop into insignificance, and he found peace. It had been a few months since he had been able to relax, and simply enjoy the moment; the memories that haunted his heart staying away.

He was halfway though his third set of stars when he realized she was asleep. He turned to look at her, and a smile played at the corners of his lips. Then he turned the other way, the smile faded as he found Ironhide watching him. The giant robot made a kissy face at him and laughed softly.

The Captains smile back was less then sincere. "Should we move her to the tent?" One look at the pitiful excuse for a tent made Lennox wince, if that was his best attempt at tent making, maybe he needed to go back to basic training.

"Its not that cold tonight, between the fire the blanket and body heat, she should sleep comfortably where she is." Sideswipe answered from where he had settled hours ago, leaning against a tree a few paces away.

"And with us standing watch, nothing can get to her." Ironhide said with another smile.

Lennox's returning smile was even less sincere then the first one. He settled his head back down, and noticed the way Tera snuggled closer, she was facing away from him, and he could feel the pressing of her backside against his waist. For a moment he thought about tempting fate and seeing what the Autobots thought about spooning. But he didn't want to push them to far. How had Tera put it? They had brought with them two very large and in charge chaperons. A laugh escaped his lips despite his best efforts to stop it. This weekend had turned out nothing like what he expected. It was so much better.

From where he sat high up in the treetops the small form of Laserbeak could see everything that went on in the clearing below him. He was far enough away that there was not a chance for the Autobots to catch a whiff of his scent, and he was down wind. He had watched throughout the day as the little drama below him unfolded. Had observed the way the alien interacted with the human and the Autobots. It was obvious even to him that there was an attraction between the alien he sought and the human with her.

He was alone on watch, would be until they left the clearing. And if the alien and Autobot stuck to their normal timetable they would leave tomorrow in the afternoon. Then he would report back to Starscream all the events that had transpired this weekend.

Tera glared one more time at Ironhide before she threw the rest of her toiletries into her backpack. She had at least been a little prepared for his wake up call, which was better then Lennox. But having the quite beauty of waking up snuggled next to someone you cared about shattered by a loud blaring horn was not something that one was likely to forget. A timid joy filled her as she remembered the moment before Ironhide had stepped in as alarm clock. The grass had been slightly damp beneath the blanket they lay on, that discomfort was nothing next to the warmth of the man she was laying with. Her head had rested on his chest, her left arm around his waist, his left arm wrapped around her shoulders trapping her in the slightly spicy scent of him; it was the happiest she had ever been upon waking.

Then Ironhide had noticed she was awake and decided it was time for everyone to wake up.

Lennox sat on the cooler his head tilted at an angle and his jaw working in odd directions and making faces as he tried to pop his ears.

Tera dropped her bag and watched as Ironhide and Sideswipe were doing a lethal dance in the center of the clearing, each studding the other looking for weaknesses and openings. As she watched, Sideswipe dropped his left shoulder and spun slightly back, Ironhide took the advantage, expecting the other bot to continue the swing, and was caught by surprise when Sideswipe reversed the spin and charged under the attacking Ironhide. As he swung under Ironhide's leading blow, he caught the bots foot and pulled back, causing Ironhide to go face first into the dirt.

"Nice one Sideswipe!" Tera yelled.

"What!" Lennox yelled back from a few feet away.

She couldn't help it, she laughed then gave Lennox a sympathetic smile. He looked up at her in confusion for a moment before going back to trying to force his ears to pop.

Parting was harder then Tera would have imagined. Everything was packed and tucked into the two respective transports. There had been some debating about weather or not they should pack the tent up, or blow it up. Ironhide and Sideswipe had voted for the later and while Lennox was leaning towards that himself, he didn't want to buy Sam's dad a new one. In the end he managed to force the ancient contraption back into the bag, and throw it in the Sideswipes trunk with the rest of the gear that was heading home to the Witwickys. They had deiced that it would be easier to part ways at the forest clearing then have Lennox drive all the way back to Sam's house and then back to the base. The forest wasn't exactly in the middle, but close enough to make the back and forth redundant. Lennox was grateful that the base was still in San Diego for its temporary location. He wasn't sure where the official location would be, more then likely though it wouldn't be a short drive to check on Tera. Not something he wanted to think about right now, he had a few moments left to ask the questions that had initiated this trip, and for the first time, he wasn't sure he wanted the answers.

` Tera stood next to Sideswipe's sleek corvette form and looked up at Lennox, "I cant thank you enough Captain for joining us. This weekend has been…" she trailed off not sure how to express everything she wanted to.

"Will." He smiled at her, "My friends call me Will. And this weekend was a blast…literally…" he glared at Ironhide for a moment. His hearing still wasn't back to normal, but had returned enough that Tera didn't have to shout anymore to be heard.

She laughed softly at the exchange, "Will, thank you. If you ever get free time, we are here every weekend, you and Ironhide are more then welcome to join us."

He smiled down at her, "I would like that." He watched her face, trying to read her emotions. Gently he cupped her face with his hand, she closed her eyes and leaned into his touch. Slowly as if not entirely certain of what he was doing he leaned down and softly kissed her. It was a closed lips kiss, the kind a junior high school student would give to their girlfriend. But with the Autobots watching Lennox wasn't sure he could ask for more. Leaning back he watched her open her eyes, and the slow smile the replaced the look of shock warmed a part of his heart that had long been frozen over.

He knew he was stalling for a few more seconds with her. "Say bye to Sam for me. And thank his parents for their hospitality."

"Mmhmm," Tera mumbled.

Lennox tilted his head and ran his hand through her hair once before dropping it to his side. "See you soon Tera."

It took her a moment to focus again, "Give my love to the Autobots! And the men, and tell Chromia she looks beautiful, no matter how she looks. And-"

"I will." He laughed and gave her a farewell wave before climbing into the truck for the long drive home.


	12. The Truth Comes Out

Tera lived in a happy bubble for the next few days. The weekend away with Lennox had given her an odd sense of floating. She went through the days in school thinking about him, and how much she wanted to see him again this weekend. Even her dreams of Queen Teravain were kept at bay by her joy. The only wrinkle in her happiness was the worry of what would happen once he found out she was an alien. She kept that thought pushed to the back of her mind as often as she could, but every now and then it would rear its ugly head and worry would surround her heart.

The only one who seemed to understand her worrying was Sideswipe. Whenever she was overwhelmed with fear, he would calm her down. He listened to her when she would vent all of her worries, and never judged. His advice was always the same, tell Lenox the next time she saw him, advice she intended on taking. Until she was able to have that conversation, she tried to focus on what the old queen had tried to teach her.

She tried practicing with the throwing knifes in the back yard one night, Sideswipe and Bee watching from the garage. She did all right for the first little while, then when she switched to left and right alternating, her aim went askew. It was harder to control where two blades went at once, especially when she tried to change their trajectory in the air. The first blade of power that went through the window was in Sam's room. He was more understanding then Ron was when the second one went through the kitchen window.

Sideswipe suggested she try a weapon that didn't have to leave her hand, after Ron's explosion about the windows. The swords were something she really wasn't coordinated with, so having Sideswipe to instruct her was beneficial, the only problem was he was trapped in his car form. So practice would have to wait until the weekend. And Tera was once again stuck in the emotional turmoil of being a human teenager.

"You mean to tell me that you took a weekend off the base and went to see her, and didn't ask her?" Epps asked for the tenth time that morning. The air conditioner in Lennox's office was off and that odd silence created without it was enough to drive him crazy. The fact that Lennox was holding the answers that he wanted hostage was just another step towards insanity.

Lennox looked up at his best friend and for the tenth time found he couldn't answer. He shook his head instead and looked back at the photos on his desk. His wife's smiling face stared back at him. He couldn't tell if the eyes were accusing or accepting, with a shake of his head Will focused on the photo next to his wife's, their beautiful daughter, his reason for continuing. He hadn't seen Annabelle in a few months; he wondered how much she had grown since then. He would have to contact his parents and see when he could come for a visit. Part of him reasoned that it wasn't fair for Annabelle to be so far away from her surviving parent, and part of him knew that the best way for him to protect her was to continue doing what he was doing, fighting Decepticons. It may feel like he was missing a piece of himself with her being so far away, but the farther away from her he was, the farther she was from danger.

"Are you even listening to me man? Or are you off in your own world again." Epps smacked the top of the desk between them hard, and for a split second caught Lennox's eye. "Level with me man, what happened?"

Lennox opened his mouth to tell the other man it was none of his business and froze, he wasn't sure if it was the need to tell someone, or the need to say it out loud to confirm that it had happened, but before he made the decision to do so he said, "we kissed." Two small words that seemed to be his salvation, and his destruction wrapped into one.

Epps blinked at him twice before he leaned away from the desk. The Sergeant crossed his muscular arms and stared at the Captain. Epps stared down at his friend where he sat at his desk. "You kissed?" Not really a questions, more a demand for information. "What are we back in middle school man? You kissed so what? Its not like the world is going to fall down between us just because you got a little action!"

Lennox laughed a little, "I didn't get any action, we just kissed."

Epps face fell a little, and he cocked an eyebrow. "That's it? Don't you have any game? Or are you that bad of a kisser that she shut you down early."

"It wasn't anything like that, it was a goodbye kiss."

"Goodbye kiss he says." Epps shook his head, "Boy we need to work on your skills."

"Ya well I would love to see how romantic you could be with a few hundred tons of metal watching." Lennox challenged.

Epps rubbed his chin for a moment in thought, "I forgot about the audience you had with you. Ironhide didn't squash you so I am guessing they approved."

Lennox pointed to the chair that Epps was ignoring. With a shrug the Sergeant sat down still looking thoughtful. "And in answer to your questions, no I didn't ask her, I couldn't figure out how to."

"You mean you were to distracted-"

"No I couldn't figure out how" Lennox said with enough steal in his voice to end his friends playful argument.

They sat in silence for a few moments before Epps said, "That just means that you have to go see her again."

Lennox's smile was his only answer.

The long awaited weekend finally arrived, Tera and Sideswipe left Friday night so they could get a few hours in that night, and could start training at dawn. It felt good to be in her native form, to be practicing the moves and the power spells that she had seen her grandmother make so effortlessly without having to worry about breaking anything. Being in her normal form also managed to provide a kind of balm against the emotions that had ruled her human life. The feelings were still there, but were dormant, and she was able to focus on other things, like the training that she so desperately needed to do.

The short sword in her hand flared as it struck the power made target in front of her, and sparks of power flew up into her face. She sneezed, and rubbed her nose hard with her left hand to keep from doing so again. Behind her she could hear Sideswipe muffling a laugh without success.

On the end of a deep sigh she turned to face him, "I am working on it." It helped to have him there to correct her moves but at times she wanted to give into the frustration that her human form seemed so predisposed to, her native form was only able to muffle that feeling for so long. It was late afternoon on Saturday and they were only on the second weapon since noon. The moves felt natural, and the shape of the weapons was easier to make now then it had been at first, but she still felt awkward.

"Maybe you're trying to hard? Take a break, when I am stuck on a move and cant seem to get it just quit right, I take a break, think of something else." Sideswipe said as he sat down in the shade a few yards away from her.

What he said made sense, but it felt like giving up. Shaking her head she reabsorbed the power in both her sword and target and walked over to Sideswipe. She retrieved the bottles of water and oil that were in the shade to stay cool and handed the oil bottle to Sideswipe.

"You seem to be pushing yourself rather hard today. Anything I should be aware of?" He said it as if to just make conversation, but she heard the concern in his voice.

She had been pushing herself hard today, but she couldn't say why. Last weekend with Will had changed a lot of things for her; it showed her it would be possible to have a life here. She hadn't had any dreams of the old queen until last night. And the dream last night had scared her; it seemed like queen Teravain had been trying to warn her of some upcoming battle. And that thought scared her to the marrow.

She closed her eyes and forced herself to say the one thing that scared her the most, "I have the feeling that something is coming, something that can destroy the peace I have found here, and I don't think I am ready for it."

Sideswipe regarded her for a moment, "Tera, you have to have some faith in yourself. I have faith in you; I believe that you are working your self a little to hard at the moment though. If you don't breath, and more then once-" he said when he watched her take an exaggerated breath. " You're going to do yourself more harm then good."

Shaking her head she let out the breath, "I can't explain it, but I just feel I need to be ready for whatever it is. Last night was the first time I got to really practice. I feel ok on shields. I can do the bow and arrow thing, but I can't do swords like you do! I look like a drunk monkey handling a banana, and you look graceful and beautiful whenever you are practicing!" she fell back on the grass her chest feeling full and constricted while her eyes pricked with tears of frustration. Truth was she was more then ok on shields. She was able to throw them, explode them with arrows, and she could make them cling to herself and others-at least Sideswipe.

Sideswipe looked away, "Tera, I have been practicing for more years then you have been alive. It takes times, and I know it seems frustrating and hard right now, but if you go slowly and listen to my advice, I think you will be able to do it." He glared at her, "And you look nothing like a drunk monkey."

A smile pulled at the corners of her lips, but faded as doubt crept back in. She rolled to her feet, not as graceful as could be, but better then it had been before, and put her water bottle back on the ground. "Thank you, I know you were trying to make me feel better, and I appreciate it."

"But you don't believe me?"

She shook her head, "part of me does, and the other part is screaming at me to get it right, and I don't want to know the consequences if I don't." She moved back into the sunlight and created a bull's-eye before her, then with a wave of her hand threw it up in the air and held it there with power. Still looking skyward she created a bow and arrow and took aim. Sideswipe watched as she hit the target dead on several times, sometimes she stood still, others she ran and leaped, or ducked and roiled while firing a steady stream of arrows. He didn't mention that they had been working on swords; she needed the confidence of handling a weapon that she knew.

"So the truth is revealed, you did lie to me all this time."

Tera spun arrow notched and aimed at the human approaching them, she squinted her eyes and the bow vanished, reabsorbed as shock set in. "Will?"

"You lost the right to call me that when you lied to me!" he yelled from across the clearing. He was in his casual clothes of cargo pants and white shirt, and oddly enough he didn't have Ironhide with him, just a regular small cab pick up truck.

His words took a moment to sink in, "I never lied to you."

"Think again little queen, a lie by omission is still a lie" his voice had taken on a harsher quality that Tera had never heard before.

"I'm, I'm sorry, I didn't know how to tell you." Tera stammered, she looked to Sideswipe for help and saw that he was just as dumbfounded as she was.

Sideswipe stood up, and pulled the Captains attention away from Tera for a moment. The robot noticed the anger in the humans face, the tight muscles and narrowed eyes. "Captain, she meant no deception."

"This has nothing to do with the Autobots, she is not one of you and therefore does not fall under the protection of the treaty that we have with your kind. She is an alien who is no longer welcome on this planet." He paused and ran a hand through his hair, "I came here as a courtesy."

"Courtesy, that's the only thing that your visit here is lacking, and where is Ironhide? Doesn't he usually drive you when you're off base?" Sideswipe took a few steps closer, but not close enough to be considered a threat.

The Captain laughed, "I didn't want to be around another liar, which is what I consider you to be as well. And the reason I say this is a courtesy is because I was the only one willing to come and tell you to leave our planet and not do it at gun point."

Tears were falling freely down Tera's face she shook her head, "Will-"

"I told you not to call me that!"

"-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to lie, but…" nothing, he had her pegged, she had lied to the one human she had developed true feelings for. "I thought you were my friend, I thought-"

"Friend? The only reason that I came up here that weekend was because I felt sorry for you. I pitied you. Nothing from that ever so brief yet painful weekend was real." He spat on the ground between them, "I should have realized that you were just another alien, and not worth my time. Do all of us a favor and leave this planet." He turned and headed back to his truck, got in and drove back down the rocky path that lead out of the woods.

Tera fell to the ground; her heart aching in a way she didn't think was possible. She had opened it, tempted fate to let her feel love, and fate had spit in her face. They knew, all the humans on the base knew she was an alien, and they wanted to kill her?

"Tera…" Sideswipes deep voice sounded oddly gentle, soothing. "Tera you cant take what he said at face value."

Sobs wracked her chest, robbing her of breath to respond. The dam of emotions that her native form had been able to protect her finally broke under the pressure. She had to move, had to run, had to get away from Sideswipe before the NEST team considered him a traitor as well. She was on her feet and crashing though the woods before she realized she had decided to do so. The sound of Sideswipe crashing through the underbrush followed her, the pain in her chest spread to her limbs, slowing her down with every step.

Her lungs burned with the need for oxygen, and her tears blinded her. She reached for a tree limb to cling to, needing a connection with the real world. Sideswipe found her that way, her arms wrapped around the tree, tears streaming down her face.

"Tera, love, you cant run off like that," Sideswipe said in a soothing voice.

Run off like that? Like she had on her home world? She had run away and left her family, and her planet to die. She should have been the one to stay behind was what he was really saying; she should have been the one to fight Starscream. She knew how to now, she hadn't then a small part of her brain told her.

"I can't be here anymore, I have to leave, I have to get away before something bad happens." Tera's voice came out broken and harsh.

Sideswipe moved to hold her, she flinched away from his touch. For the first time she didn't want to be near him; didn't want to contaminate him. "Tera…"

"I have to go!" her voice came out as a shrill scream, and she took off again, running deeper into the forest. She ran blindly, not caring where she went as long as it was away, as long as she didn't pose anymore of a threat to the Autobots that she loved.

Tera could clearly hear Sideswipe following her, calling her name, but she kept running.

"Tera Stop!" The change in Sideswipe's tone from pleading to scared had her pulling up short, she turned to look at the large robot behind her and saw his blades were out and he was staring at something in front of her, "Tera get behind me _now_." His voice came out as a growl on the last word.

She stared at him for a moment in confusion, then followed his gaze and looked directly in front of her.

Starscream with three other Decepticons stood directly in her path.

The tears cleared from her eyes as shock settled in. She took a step backwards and saw the evil grin on Starscream's face grow.

"The little Queen has come to us at last" Starscream's wicked voice said in joy.

"Tera behind me!" Sideswipe yelled.

She was torn, her head on a swivel looking between Sideswipe and Starscream. Run? And try to get away, or stand and fight-the Autobot thing to do. Her decision was made before she realized she was in motion.

Throwing two shields Tera moved for a better position. One shield went around Sideswipe, a snug shield that moved as he did, and let him attack with his blades while not letting him get hit by enemies attack, the other shield went around herself, fitting her like a second skin and allowing her to move and use her power freely.

Sideswipe launched himself at Starscream, both blades aimed at his head, but at the last moment one of the other Decepticons jumped in his way, taking the double blade attack in the shoulder, instead of the killing blow that should have been Starscream's.

"Run Tera! I can't get a signal out to Optimus, there is something interfering with my transmission!" Sideswipe continued his attack on the Decepticon, and searched for Tera at the same time, he couldn't see her.

From somewhere to his right came several arrows made of power, they rained on the area striking trees and Decepticons alike, and causing a furry of confusion. But they gave away Tera's location.

"Get her! I don't care about the other, but take her alive." Starscream commanded as he moved in the direction of the power arrows. The two other Decepticons followed his lead, leaving the last to fight with Sideswipe.

Shoving off from the Decepticon who had interrupted his attack, Sideswipe took another swing at Starscream, who turned at the last moment and caught Sideswipe's arm and held the Autobot suspended in the air. "Foolish Autobot, your spark shall fade before my eyes!" With a single motion Starscream threw Sideswipe into a tree. The shield was able to protect him from bullets or surges of power, but not against traumatic blows, something Tera had never considered.

Sideswipe fell to the forest floor, some twenty feet below where he struck the tree, and groaned.

A yell of mixed furry and frustration filled the air, Starscream smiled. "Get her, while she is distracted!"

She ran right between the Decepticons, weaving a pattern that left them looking where she had been instead of currently was. She jumped off the knee joint of one to land on the waste of another and sliced into the tender web of wires there with a blade of power. As the pain from that blow sank in she was already on a tree branch swinging over Starscreams head and landing behind him, running to Sideswipe.

"Tera, go, get to Optimus, he can protect you." Sideswipe gasped. His right hip joint was grossly out of place, and his left sword missing the bottom half, if he was a human it would be called his clavicle, was shattered on his left side the arm on that side hung at an odd angle, and he was loosing Energon.

"I'm not leaving you." She rested a hand on his shield just above the chest, it was the closest she could get to his face, without possibly causing him pain. Power began to flow from her into him, replacing his lost Energon, and with it some of Sideswipe's fight came back.

"This decision is not yours, run, that's an order!" Sideswipe told her, "I will give you cover as long as I can."

"Where did she go? You imbeciles you lost her! Find the girl!" Starscream yelled as he spun in circles looking for Tera.

"Sideswipe, I cant loose you." Tera pleaded with him.

He gave her a weak smile, and sat up slightly, blocking her from Starscream's searching gaze. "Go now, get to the base, and be safe."

"I cant loose you!" Tera yelled.

Sideswipe grabbed her with his good right arm and threw her as far as he could; he knew the risk he was taking. But also knew that she was in much graver danger if the Decepticons got a hold of her.

Tera screamed in frustration, and managed to grab a tree limb as she fell, preventing a major injury upon landing she instead had minor cuts on her hands, which healed on their own.

Sideswipe was gone, Will hated her….she was more alone now then she had been when she left home. 'Find Optimus' that's what Sideswipe had told her to do. Taking a deep shuddering breath she looked around to get her bearings, the base was south, so south she ran. She couldn't see very well through the tears streaming down her face, all she had was hope that she was going the right direction. And hope was not something that she had much faith in anymore.

"Where is she, you sad excuse for a toaster oven? Where is the Queen?" Starscream demanded of Sideswipe, each word was accompanied by a blow to Siedswipe's face. Which gave Starscream no satisfaction since he wasn't actually connecting with Sideswipe, but the shield that was somehow over him. Ridicules! There was no shield that an Autobot could create that he could not break through!

Sideswipe coughed, and laughed, "She is safe. You will never find her, and you will never harm her."

Starscream grabbed Sideswipe by the shoulders and threw him back into the tree he had originally hit, "She will be mine to command!" A thought occurred to Starscream and a wicked grin grew on his gruesome face. Sideswipe squinted through the pain from the jarring of his broken body, up at the Decepticon, "She loves you, like she loves the fleshling that we took captive. She will come looking for you, and when she does, she will be mine."


	13. Where to now

Tera ran through the night, at points falling and cutting her hands, stray branches slapped at her body and sliced her face. She didn't pause to heal the wounds, just kept running. Her lungs burned with the need for oxygen, and her muscles screamed in protest, yet she ran. As dawn approached she noticed she was in her human form, and had no memory of changing to it. She didn't stop for water, or even when the sun sank behind the horizon again. The fear that had consumed her pushed her to the breaking point and beyond. All she could think of was getting to Optimus; he would be able to save Sideswipe. He had to.

The chain link fence that marked the bases property came into view as her vision began to fail. With her destination so close at hand, realization struck. The men at the base wanted nothing to do with her, had told her through Lennox that they would kill her. She stumbled to a stop, bent over with hands on knees as she gasped for air. Her exhausted legs shook for a few moments before giving out beneath her. She felt wrung out, hollow of emotions and life sustaining power. All hope was lost, Sideswipe was gone, and Lennox hated her. She had nowhere to go, she couldn't go to the base that had been her home and she couldn't return to her home world that had been destroyed by the Decepticons. Tears burned her eyes, and made trails down her cheeks. Her lungs burned, her body ached, and her heart felt destroyed.  
"I'm so sorry Sideswipe, so sorry. Please forgive me my friend," She said to herself as blackness clouded the corners of her sight. "I failed you…" she whispered as she surrendered to the sweet oblivion of unconsciousness.

Sideswipe groaned as he sat on the hard concrete floor where the Decepticon had dropped him. His injuries prevented him from attacking out right, but they didn't stop him from taking a swing at the Decepticon's foot with his good arm. He missed, but felt better for having tried. He looked around, and couldn't help but noticed the humor in his situation. The Decepticons were hiding in some sort of abandoned warehouse that they had upgraded with their own technology. One entire wall was dedicated to some sort of a terminal with a large viewing screen. The humor in the situation was that the Decepticons had made a hideout that looked like it was from a bad horror film, complete with cobwebs in the corners and dust on every surface, including the one he was sitting on. He studied his enclosure, and received a slight shock; he wasn't alone. In the dusty enclosure where he had been dropped was a human.

Sideswipe stared at Captain Lennox, barley able to contain his anger with the human. As he looked closer he noticed how different this Lennox looked then the one he had seen just a few hours ago. This one was covered head to foot in filth, and had a nasty gash that ran though his left eyebrow, ending somewhere up in his hairline.

"Captain?" Sideswipe's voice came out in a growl. He struggled to shift closer to the human, but wasn't able to make much progress.

The human shifted and turned to him, the look from those eyes was disbelief, followed by shame. "They got you too?"

Sideswipe swallowed hard, Lennox's left side of his face was blood darkened, and his clothing was dirty and wrinkled. Even though part of his positronic brain registered that this was not the same person he had seen a few hours ago, anger still burned through him for what had happened.

Lennox shifted so that he was sitting up leaning against the wall, his gaze fell from Sideswipe, "She hates me doesn't she?"

The Autobot stared at the human for a moment before looking away, "its not in her kinds nature to hate."

An awkward silence fell between them, "But it's in yours. Isn't it?" Lennox turned and stared at the Autobot.

"Yes it is in mine." Sideswipe sighed. Part of him wanted to hold onto his anger, to take it out on Lennox. But that would get them nowhere. "But with you, not anymore. I know that you didn't say any of that."

"She doesn't know it though." Lennox closed his eyes tight, weather in pain or anguish Sideswipe couldn't tell. The silence stretched for a few minuets, both of them lost in their own thoughts. "So she is an alien after all. I wondered."

"We didn't mean to keep it from-"

"No. No I am glad you did. I wouldn't have wanted anything to happen to her, and the Pentagon can be…unpredictable with such things." Lennox said. He shifted searching for a more comfortable position.

"How long have you been here?" Sideswipe said, he noticed the rucksack on the ground next to the Captain and the encrusted blood on his wound didn't look very fresh.

Lennox raised a hand to his head and winced when his fingers touched the wound. "Long enough to know that Excedrin is going to be packed in my bag for the rest of my life." He dropped his hand. "I left the base Friday night with the intent on joining you two at the clearing. I went alone because I wanted to think. I have had more then enough time to do that now, and I realized what an idiot I was." He shook his head. "The last thing I remember is being pulled over by a cop and getting out my information, when I looked up I saw a Decepticon and that's it, after that lights out."

"Then why did you think she would hate you?"

The Captain laughed, a small mocking sound that ended in a cough, he reached in his bag and pulled out a canteen and took a quick swig. "I watched everything that that bastard Starscream had that hologram say to you and Tera." His voice was dripping with hatred. "I watched as he tore her heart out of her chest and stomped it into the mud, and there was nothing I could do about it."

Sideswipe was silent, absorbing this new development. "She will understand."

"If we ever get out of here." Lennox took a long look at their surroundings. Silence crept back in, but before it could settle over them Lennox asked one of the many questions that bothered him. "There was one part that I didn't understand, why did Starscream call her 'little Queen?'"

"Because she is. Tera was of the Royal family on her planet, and since she is more then likely the last, she is the Queen." Sideswipe heaved a great sigh, and winched when it shifted his collarbone area. Closing his eyes he added, "She would have been a wonderful queen, she listens, she's compassionate to a fault, and there isn't anything she can't do."

Lennox absorbed what Sideswipe said with a small shake of his head, he had fallen for a queen, boy could he pick them. "Sounds like you love her."

"I do," the silver Autobot said with his eyes closed, "the same way I love my twin, Sunstreaker."

"I didn't know you had a brother." Lennox said. When Sideswipe said nothing more Lennox let the stretched between them, it no longer felt uncomfortable. After several minuets Lennox asked the questions that scared him the most. "Why are we here anyway? Why are we still alive?"

Sideswipe looked at the human and then away before answering. "We are here because we are the two she cared for the most." He chortled and looked back at the human next to him. "And we are still alive, because we are bait."

The world around her was covered in mist, and blackness. "Hello?" Tera called, she could hear her voice echo several times. She was in her native form, and wearing the traditional clothing of the royal family, the same clothing she hadn't worn since her first night on Earth. "Where am I?"

"You are in the Dream." A voice that she knew said from the mist that surrounded her.

Tera squinted and stared when the mist parted and Queen Teravain approached her. The old queen was also wearing the traditional clothing of the royal family, but hers were an older fashion. "This isn't like the other dreams." Tera took a half step backwards.

"No this is different." Queen Teravain stopped a few paces in front of Tera. "You have learned all that you can from me, my dear. And I just pray to the stars that it was enough."

Tera shook her head in confusion. "I don't understand, what has changed?"

"Everything, and nothing." The old queen held her hand out and created an image of earth just above her palm. "You have a choice to make, young Queen. You can choose to keep everything the same and stay on this world, living as a human. You have already sampled some of the pleasures of this world, and the pain. So you know what you would be giving up to stay here, and what you would loose if you were to leave."

Tera shook her head in disbelief "leave? Where would I go?"

"Home. The Decepticon Starscream promised me when I defeated him so long ago that my bloodline would fail, that my decedents would not be able to protect our world. That has already happened. The Decepticon's kept their promise. So now it is up to you. You can choose to return to our home world and begin to rebuild. Or you can continue living here on Earth."

"Alone? I wouldn't be able to do anything alone! The planet was ruined." The heavy weight of despair fell on her shoulders, what kind of a choice was the queen of old offering her?

"There is hope of rebuilding, as long as there is at least one Royal who is willing to help. Without the Royal bloodlines power, there is nothing. Our kind would remain scattered among the stars. And the Decepticon's promise would be the end of our way of life. But if a member of the Royal line were to return home, others would follow and help rebuild. And the promise would be nothing more then a forgotten memory. " The Queen's voice was frighteningly devoid of emotions.

"If I go home right now, what will happen there?" she pointed to the image of Earth her ancestor held, _what will happen to those I love_, was what she really wanted to ask.

The old Queen's face remained emotionless as the small globe disappeared.

"That's not an option! What can I do to prevent that from happening?"

Queen Teravain smiled, "You know all that I can teach, use what you know and you may be able to save two worlds from extinction." The old Queen paused a moment, "But know this, stay here past what you need to do, and hope for our world will die with you." The queen's face softened for a moment, "be strong little one, listen to those around you, and don't be afraid. You have more courage and power then you realize."

The mist began to grow stronger, obscuring the Queen from Tera's view, "Wait! I have more questions! Come back, please!" Tera struggled to reach the Queen, but her body felt like lead and wouldn't move. She fought the growing misty darkness, and lost.

"Tera, Tera dear your safe."

That voice? Tera's head rocked back and forth and she fought to separate the dream world from the real world.

"It's all right Tera, don't fight me."

Chromia? Had she made it to the Autobots?

"That's right dear, don't fight me," Chromia's voice was coming from right above her, if Tera could just open her eyes, they felt heave and crusty, and were not cooperating with her. Couldn't someone help her? Where was Sideswipe?

"Gone." That's all she could manage, and that came out as a sob, as her memories flooded her mind. She saw it like snipits of images, Starscream throwing Sideswipe like a rag doll, Lennox's mocking face, Sideswipe saving her by sacrificing himself…"gone…"

"Who is gone Tera? Tera you need to remain calm." Chromia demanded.

Remain calm? How could she? Sideswipe was gone, and Lennox hated her. She had to open her eyes! Light blinding and bright burned her retinas as her eyelids finally cooperated. She blinked several times and lifted an arm to shield her. Tears filled here eyes, whether in response to the light or the feeling of loss that suddenly flooded her she couldn't tell.

"Is she waking up?" Optimus asked from somewhere above Tera.

Optimus? If she had made it to them, then they could save Sideswipe. She fought the blinding light and tried to speak, all that came out was a moan.

"She's waking up, but she's still pretty weak, I am just glad that Ratchet thought to get her to this wooded area. You should have seen it Optimus, every second she was on concrete she seemed to get paler." Chromias voice was soft as if she were trying to keep the conversation to Optimus only.

Ratchet was there too? Good Sideswipe would need repairs. Her eyes closed again, even that much effort left her exhausted.

"It's a good thing you and Ironhide found her when you did." Optimus observed, his voice a deep rumble from somewhere far above Tera. "She looks cyanotic, is she warm enough?"

"It was Ironhide's idea to use fire to warm her, something she said last weekend about natural warming is better then artificial. Her temp is coming up, but its still far lower then I would like." Ratchet answered.

Ironhide was here too? More tears leaked from her eyes, Lennox had said he didn't want to be around liars, could it be that the Autobots had been banished from the NEST base?

Tera fought, and after several tries managed to get her eyes open again. She forced deep breaths into lungs; power began to creep back into her body, causing her fingertips and toes to tingle.

"Tera, dear, relax, your safe, your safe." Moonchaser said from somewhere above her.

"Yes girl, sleep. We will watch over you." Optimus assured. With his promise, Tera surrendered back to the blackness of oblivion.

Tera snuggled deeper into her thick wool blanket ignoring the slightly scratchy material. Silently she thanked the stars that Chromia and Ironhide had found her when they did. She was still piecing together what had happened after her collapse, and had learned that the two Autobots had rushed her to Ratchet, who carried her to part of the base that brushed against a wooded area. He had laid her down, and started several smile fires near her for warmth. Ratchet had thankfully figured that she needed the contact with nature to regenerate energy.

It had taken her a few hours before she had been able to communicate legibly with the others, and when she finally did she had no control over what came out. Her verbal diarrhea told Optimus and the others everything, they knew how angry the Captain was with her, the fight with the Decepticons, and that Sideswipe had been taken prisoner. The only thing Tera had managed to keep to herself was her dream of Queen Teravain

Ironhide found the news about Lennox hard, "I offered to drive him, but he said he just wanted sometime to think." He shook his head when Tera got to that part of the story, "I had no idea he would take the news that poorly."

Tera patted his large cannoned arm gently, "I should have told him long ago."

Optimus listened without interrupting, she noticed that his optics narrowed when she told the part about Lennox, but he didn't offer his opinion.

When Tera explained about the weapons training, she demonstrated her long sword and throwing knifes, her hands began to shake after creating the throwing knifes, so Ratchet made the decision that she needed to rest again.

Tera didn't fight Ratchet's request to rest until they tried to take her to her old room. Then her panic came back. She tried to explain that the men hated her, but the Autobots just gave her a blank stare. When it became obvious that it was more harmful the beneficial to her rest to return to her old room, Ratchet stepped in and suggested that they stay there for the rest of the night.

Optimus agreed.

She had been able to sleep a few more hours; the sun was just cresting the hills in front of her. With the suns light power flowed more readily into her body, a quick glance at her crystal showed a slight glow, she would need a few more hours at least to be at full charge, but she was well past the danger stages of recovery.

Guilt more then anything else had woken her up, she was afraid for Sideswipe, and felt miserable that she had abandoned him. Remembering the severity of his injuries had her throat closing on a sob. When he had grabbed her she had forced as much energy into him and his shield as she could. That shield would be long gone now, and the energy? Was he dying somewhere because she wouldn't surrender?

Looking over her shoulder she could see the Autobots in private conversation. Optimus was talking to Ironhide, Ratchet and Chromia about possible attack strategies. Moonracer and Arcee were watching the twins and keeping them from trouble. She had to protect them somehow. They wouldn't go into battle without her; they just didn't know it yet.

"I don't like it Optimus, we know this is some kind of a trap," Ironhide said shaking his head.

Chromia growled in frustration, "What choice do we have?"

Shaking his head Optimus responded, "I agree with you Ironhide, it is a trap, but like Chromia said, we have no choice. If Sideswipe is still alive, we owe it to him to try and get him back."

"What about all that babble about Lennox? I don't believe it for a minuet. The man is human, but he's not cruel." Ironhide thought of Lennox as his human in some ways. Whenever possible it was Ironhide that drove him when he went off base.

Chromia placed a hand on Ironhide's cannon in a comforting gesture. "It is a little odd that he hasn't come back to base yet. He left the clearing before Tera did, and she managed to run here." Ratchet grumbled his opinion about Tera running and nearly killing herself in the process, he was still angry at her for not thinking to call her ship to her and use that for safer and faster transport. Tera's excuse of forgetting she had that option hadn't gone over well with any of the Autobots. She always wore the bracelet remote for her ship, if she had been able to forget what that bracelet was, what else was she forgetting from her home world?

"He was driving just a plain pick up truck, it could be that it broke down." Ratchet said after his rant on Tera's slip in judgment.

"I don't believe it is something as simple as that," Optimus said with a thoughtful look in Tera's direction.

Chromia shrugged, "If he was as upset as Tera said, he could have taken a few days leave to cool down. We are in San Diego, its not like there aren't any hotels where he could stay. Or maybe he went to see his daughter?"

Ironhide looked at his spark-mate for a moment, the base they were on was temporary, and their bases permanent location was still undecided, but the men usually didn't stay off base if it could be avoided, they were always on call for a Decepticon attack.

"He would have checked in by now," Ironhide said.

Optimus held up his hands, "One problem at a time, we need to decide on an attack straggly for getting Sideswipe back before we can start worrying about Lennox."

"We were in agreement that the first place to start would be back at the clearing." Ratchet said.

Chromia shot a look at Tera, who was facing them, "what about her? Do we bring he with us?"

"That would be exactly what Starscream wants, Tera stays here where it is safe." Optimus said in a decisive way.

"That's a great arrangement, how do you plan to enforce it?" Tera asked as she approached their group.

"Hey if she gets to sit at the big kids table then so do we!" Mudflap yelled. He made a move to join 'the big kid table' and Moonracer pulled a gun on him.

"Fine you want to play that way, we have guns too!" Skids tried to change to his gun but it jammed, after shaking his left arm several times, he stared down his own barrel, and it finally fired.

Chromia shook her head and turned to Tera, leaving the twins for her sisters to deal with. "Its not safe for you to go."

"And you can't win without me." Tera countered, "So I am going. This isn't up for debate."

Optimus regarded her for a moment, "I agree with Chromia, Tera it isn't safe for you. But your newfound skills with power weapons and shields may give us an advantage. But I warn you it will be dangerous, and there will more then likely be fighting." Optimus hoped that by bringing up the fight that was sure to ensue, Tera, who had always hated fighting in the past, would stay at base where it was safe.

"I am not afraid, quit the contrary. I am ready." Optimus regarded her for a long moment. She had grown since he had met her. The woman before him was no longer the child that they had met so few months ago on the night Sideswipe and the others had come to join them. There were no wrinkles on her face, or grey hairs on her head, but there was a change to the way that she held herself. More confident, more mature. The woman before him was a queen in her prime who was ready and willing to fight for those she cared for. It was that change, and nothing else that made him agree to bring her with them.

Tera listened as the Autobots discussed battle plans; she absorbed every idea that was suggested, thinking she may need them at a later date when she was back home, if she ever made it back there. If she noticed that Optimus seemed to be giving her sidelong glances she ignored them.

"Ratchet, I want you to keep Tera next to you at all times, you will have the rear position, so its least likely that Starscream will have a clean shot for her." Optimus said.

Ratchet nodded, "I am fine with that, Tera do you understand?"

She nodded; there was a difference though in understanding and following orders. They wanted her kept in the back and protected, she wanted action, and she needed to keep her friends safe, this was her fight not theirs. She needed to unleash her fury and frustration on a target that deserved it. Namely Starscream.


	14. I choose both

Sideswipe watched as Lennox tightened the knot he had made with the spare shirt from his rucksack on the energon leak in Sideswipe's chest. "I think that will hold," he said with a final tweak.

"Thank you." Sideswipe groaned. He leaned his head back against the wall, feeling he no longer had enough energy simply to hold it up.

Lennox jumped down from where he had stood on Sideswipe to be able to reach his chest. "It's a good thing that shield faded, or I wouldn't have been able to touch you."

Sideswipe didn't want to think about the reason the shield had faded, he was glad it had held up as well as it had. His injuries were nothing compared to what they could have been if Starscream had been able to beat him like he had wanted to. Sideswipe shifted slightly and winced at the pain coming from his dislocated hip.

Lennox settled on the ground next to his rucksack. He opened it and surveyed his rations, "how much longer do you think we will be here?" Lennox had been taken by the Decepticons three days ago, and was nearly though his water supply. He didn't have any kind of appetite so food was not a problem. Will rolled his shoulders, he felt stiff, and sore all over, evidence of too many nights attempting to sleep on a cold concrete floor.

"As long as we are useful." Sideswipe answered, not wanting to think how long that would be. He had lost a lot energon, more then he would like. A liquid sounding cough distracted Sideswipe before he could think about his own situation. When the cough sounded again he looked more closely at his human companion. "How do you feel?"

Lennox coughed a third time and spat to his right, away from Sideswipe. "I feel like I had my head hit pretty hard, and its kind of warm in here. But I am fine, or will be as soon as we are back on base."

Sideswipe changed to thermal vision for a moment and determined the Captain was running a fever, his lungs didn't sound good, not just the coughing, when the Autobot focused his hearing he could detect a slight crackle when the human breathed. And his heart rate was higher then it should be at rest. He glanced at the head wound that the human had received and frowned at the dried blood, Lennox was sick and either didn't want to admit it yet, or didn't realized yet.

Looking up he realized that his concerns for the Captain were going to have to wait, Starscream was looking at them again, and he looked a little too happy.

The Autobots arrived at the clearing Wednesday afternoon. They had delayed another day to give Tera more time to recover to her full strength. The time had not been wasted, her crystal glowed with reserve power and she had been able to give each of the Autobots an extra charge.

Optimus had offered to drive Tera himself, and she had accepted. It had been a thrill to be so high off the ground while being in her human form. The joy of the ride was quickly dampened by the tension of silence that filled the cab. Tera felt guilty for not telling Optimus what she planed for the fight. Her desire to keep him and the others safe, no matter the cost, consumed her. The reason Sideswipe had been taken was her fault; the reason Starscream was here now was her fault. To her, it made sense that she should be the one to fight. It was about time that she started to make decisions like a Queen; this was her first chance to prove that she was worth of the name Teravain. Optimus seemed to be able to sense that she was holding back, and the silence this created was deafening.

As soon as they reached the clearing Tera was out of Optimus and soaking up the last rays of sunlight, in her native form. They were still an hour until sunset, so the trees blocked the direct light. Tera didn't care, the light felt warming on her skin, and gave her a distraction from her guilt towards Optimus. She had opted not to wear her traditional clothing from her world; her worlds clothes were more for beauty, then practicality. The cut off cargo pants and dark green T-shirt that Arcee had found were a bit big on her human form, but comfortable in her native one.

"Now what?" Chromia asked Optimus after they had all transformed to their natural forms.

Optimus surveyed the warriors before him, Chromia, Moonracer and Arcee; sisters who were small but fierce. Ironhide his old friend and weapons specialist, Ratchet his medical officer and friend. It had taken some convincing but they had been able to leave the twins at base to 'protect the humans'. Epps hadn't been excited about the arrangement, but accepted it. And the girl, Optimus surveyed the small alien with trepidation. Would she listen to him when her life depended on it? Was she as strong as he believed her to be? Did she believe enough in herself to achieve her full potential? He didn't know, and he regretted that he hadn't been able to spend more time with her.

"Now we wait." Optimus answered.

Tera regarded Optimus with a look he couldn't interpret. He had half expected Starscream to be waiting for them when they arrived, but knowing how much of a coward Starscream was Optimus decided that the Decepticon would wait until the opportune moment. Optimus organized a patrol to keep watch for signs of the Decepticons. Himself, Ratchet and Ironhide set up a guard for Tera, who Ratchet encouraged to rest. The medical officer was still furious with her for the state she had let herself get in. Optimus settled into a comfortable pacing pattern and waited for the inevitable attack.

There was only a sliver of sky that Sideswipe could see from his view among the filth and dust of the Decepticons base. The stars blinked at him, as if taunting him that they were free and he was a captive. He knew what they were, balls of gas and distant planets, but after hearing Tera talk about them, it made him look harder at the reflections from so far away. To her kind, the stars were hope and the promises of new life all around them. They were signs of the future and the past that were there to remind those alive in the present that anything was possible. Tera had said once that she preyed to the stars, not for any one thing, or for advice on what to do, but because they knew all and they saw all.

Her kind knew what the stars physically were, same as the Autobots did. But they were able to look beyond that to the potential that they represented. The stars for her were friends and family, they were all those who had been lost before memory began, and all those to come in future generations. They had kept her company when she was far from home and all alone. Sideswipe took her wisdom and made it his own, from the dirt covered floor of the Decepticons base he looked at the stars and didn't feel so alone. If the Autobots he had once known were still out there somewhere, if Sunstreaker was out there, then he was not alone, no matter where he may be.

Sideswipe let his head rest back against the wall at the angle so he could see the stars, and closed his eyes, letting memories occupy his thoughts. They had been practicing nearly since they arrived at the clearing the day before the Decepticons had showed up. Tera had been determined to learn the swords; even after her few failed attempts in the back yard. Sideswipe had coached as best he could, but for him the swords were an art form put to motion. "Think of them as extensions of your self." He had said.

"That's easy for you! For you they are!" Tera had yelled back, she had actually yelled she was so frustrated.

"You're thinking to hard, to much, what are you thinking about?" Sideswipe asked, he knew Tera well enough to know that she would be upset with her self for having yelled at him, so he ignored her outburst.

Her brows furrowed, and in the dying light of the sun she looked young, to young for the responsibilities she carried, "I'm thinking about everything. About my family, my world, my way of life, gone. I am thinking that I need to get this right so nothing like that ever happens again, and that it may already be to late, that-"

"Way to much thinking." Sideswipe said simply, with a motion of his hand to cut her off.

Tera regarded him with a blank stare, her moth still open, after a moment she shook her head and asked, "If I am not allowed to think…how does that work?"

Sideswipe dropped to a knee next to her in the field when she was in her native form, as she was now and he knelt they were nearly on eye level. "You think, don't get me wrong, but you think about what you can control. You're breathing, your muscle tension, your blades and balance. And you think about what your opponent is doing, where is his weight balanced, where is he looking, what is he showing you about what his next move is going to be." He held his hand out and she placed hers into it without hesitation, even with that light touch he could feel energy flowing into him from the contact, energy and her thoughts. Whenever she touched him, some of her thoughts and feelings came through to him. Sometimes she was able to restrict the flow, others she enhanced it, pushing her feelings and emotions into him. Now all he was picking up from her was frustration. Her kind was so small compared to his, yet she held so much inside of her, "You think about what you can control, and you let the rest go."

Tera had stared at him; looking so young, so small, "That may be easier said then done." She whispered.

He gave her hand a gentle squeeze, more a reassurance that she wasn't alone then anything else. "I never said it was going to be easy, if it was easy, everyone would know how to do it. Anything under the stars that is going to be worth doing is going to involve hard work. Your young Tera, it took me a lifetime to learn the blades."

She withdrew her hand to wipe a stray tear from her cheek, "I don't have a lifetime, there are to many lives at stake, too many lives lost…" she looked away, up to the stars.

Sideswipe stood and followed her gaze. And listened as Tera told him what her people thought of the stars.

When he opened his eyes again, the stars still shown through the small window far above him. How he missed her. A small cough pulled his gaze down next to him where Lennox was resting beside him. Sideswipe smiled slightly, he truly wasn't alone. He just prayed to the stars, that Tera wasn't either.

"The little fool has come back!" Starscream's shouted declaration pulled Sideswipe from his thoughts. The Decepticon was standing in front of the large view screen in the center of the room, watching what appeared to be live feed of the clearing where Tera and himself had been not so many days before. Starscream began shouting orders to the other Decepticons, ignoring the Autobot and human behind him.

Sideswipes head fell back against the wall again, "what was she thinking?" he whispered to himself.

Lennox stood and craned his neck as far as he could to get a glimpse of the view screen Starscream was looking at, "she didn't go alone, Optimus and the others are with her." With a wicked grin Starscream turned to his captors and said, "we mustn't keep our guests waiting."

Tera sat in the same patch of grass that she had just a few days earlier with Sideswipe. Her knees were drawn to her chest, and her chin rested on her forearms on top of her knees. Arcee and Chromia were on patrol and the rest of the Autobots did their best to keep her in sight while keeping watch. Could she do this? It was her fault that Sideswipe had been taken; therefore it was her responsibility to make it right. To get him back. She closed her eyes to prevent any tears from forming when she wondered what had happened to Wi-Lennox, she reminded herself firmly that she had lost the right to even think of him as Will.

With a shake of her head, she forced any and all thoughts of him from her. She had to focus on whom she could save, and that was Sideswipe. No one had heard from Lennox since he left the clearing. When Ironhide had questioned Epps, the human had no news about the missing Captain. Taking a deep cleansing breath the she focused on what came next. She had one idea, one that could protect the Autobots and let her fight her own battle. Once Sideswipe was safe, she would head the old Queens warning and go home and on the way she could shed every tear that she had suppressed for William Lennox.

The Decepticons arrived at midnight, taking advantage of what little dark the full moon offered to get as close to their intended prey as they could, their target was surrounded by the Autobots that were not on patrol. The patrol was something that Starscream had anticipated and easily avoided, Autobots could be predictable about such things. Starscream had decided that giving the Autobots the chance to back down, without all the mess of a fight would be easier.

Starscream had four Decepticons with him, each of them a fine fighter on their own; even if they were not much for conversation, as long as they followed orders he wasn't going to be picky. The newest and smallest in their group was a particularly savagely smart fighter, Deadset. While he didn't know the bot well, Starscream had known his teacher Deadlock years ago before the Decepticon had turned Autobot. Deadset had trained with Deadlock in the art of swords, a weapon that Starscream found useless when a blaster was so much easier. The new arrival was welcomed to the fight, one more on their side meant less of a chance for Starscream to possible have to step into battle himself.

One of his Decepticon minions carried Sideswipe and another carried their human captive locked inside of his chest. With a glance to his left and right to confirm that they were ready, Starscream stepped out of the surrounding forest to get the Autobots attention.

Moonracer fell backwards with a small grunt as the blast took out the ground before her. She looked up, thankfully unharmed and raised her weapon, and stared at Starscream where he had emerged from the tree cover, flanked by four other Decepticons. Behind her she could hear the other Autobots arranging themselves to be a wall between Tera and the intruders. Arcee and Chromia raced into the clearing from the far side.

"Now that we have your attention," Starscream began with a sneer. "I believe that I have something that belongs to you." He signaled to the Decepticon that was farthest to his left, the one holding Sideswipe.

The hair on the back of Tera's neck rose as she swiveled at the sound of Starscream's voice. The Autobots blocked most of her view, but she could see between Ratchet and Ironhide what was happening across the clearing. Tera's heart leapt to her throat, as she rose to her feet, and watched in horror as the Decepticon that held Sideswipe dropped him to the ground. She heard the hard landing, and saw Sideswipe's face twist in pain as he tried to not groan. As if the drop wasn't enough the Decepticon gave him a kick once he was on the ground. Cold furry washed through her veins.

"Now, now, we don't need to do that," Starscream said with a smile to the Decepticon that had kicked Sideswipe. The offending Decepticon took a step back.

"What is it you want Starscream?" Optimus's voice boomed loudly across the clearing.

Starscream stared right at Tera, as if challenging her to do anything. And with an evil smiled he answered, "Just the little Queen, and you can have this piece of scrap metal back."

Optimus's arm changed to a cannon as he declared, "That's not an option." Before he could get off a clean shot a barrier went up between the Autobots and the Decepticons. The barrier stretched beyond the clearing, and seemed to reach the sky itself. It was translucent and like gasoline on water had a rainbow quality to it that never seemed to stay perfectly still. Optimus dropped his arm a few inches as he stared at the barrier, Starscream looked as confused as Optimus.

Turning to look behind him Optimus stared at Tera who stood one hand raised in the act of fortifying the shield. "Tera what are you doing?"

Her eyes opened and took a moment to focus on Optimus, "What I have to." She swallowed hard, "I'm sorry my friend, this is my fight, not yours."

"That wasn't the plan!" Optimus yelled as Tera ran straight for the shield.

She hit the shield at a full run; it felt like walking though a thin wall of water. As water would cling to skin, the shield clung to her like a second skin and formed a flexible barrier around her. Once on the other side Tera stopped and faced Starscream.

Starscream regarded her for a moment before saying, "So you choose the way of the coward and decide to hide behind your little shield like you did before? Will you stay and fight this time? Or run away like you have done in the past." Starscream taunted her. "That is your way isn't it little Queen? You abandoned your home world when it was attacked; you abandoned your guardian Autobot when you were attacked. Do you have it in you to fight?" He shifted and signaled to the Decepticon to his far right, "lets see if this is enough of an incentive to make you stay this time, little Queen."

The Decepticon stepped forward and shifted in form, his middle section opened and Captain Lennox fell a yard to the ground at the feet of the Decepticon who had held him prisoner. A moment after he landed an energy field sprung up around him, trapping the human inside a dome of power.

Her heart dropped as she staggered a step forward, "Will" her voice came out scarcely above a whisper.

Captain Lenox staggered to his feet and glared at Starscream. "Oho come on!" Lennox yelled as he pounded on the energy field that held him prisoner, he opened his mouth to yell again, but all that came out was a chest-wracking cough that left him gasping for air.

"Little queen you have to make a choice. Do you save your guardian? Or the human you have foolishly fallen in love with?" Starscream challenged. The Decepticon who had held the Captain loomed over him with a challenging come here wave of one hand. The one who had carried and kicked Sideswipe took a step closer to his charge and placed a hand on Sideswipe's injured shoulder applying pressure to the wound and taunting her to do anything about it.

"Go Tera, go back to Optimus!" Sideswipe managed to get out through clenched teeth.

Tera narrowed her eyes at Starscream. A globe of power rose behind the unaware Decepticons, it pulsed with potential power in time with Tera's racing heart. A blue bow of pure power formed in her hands; she drew the string back and took aim with a power arrow. "I choose both."


	15. Battle

On their side of the shield Arcee, Chromia and Moonracer transformed to their motorcycle form and raced along the length of the shield knowing that it couldn't go forever. Optimus saw them go, but couldn't tear his eyes away Tera and Sideswipe. He had to do something to help!

"We can't just stand here and watch!" Ironhide yelled in frustration, voicing Optimus' own thoughts.

"I am perfectly open to any suggestion that you may have, old friend." Optimus answered him, his voice came out as a growl of suppressed anger. What had she been thinking? Why was she taking this risk?

Ratchet stepped forward, "Sideswipe looks terrible" he said with a head shake. "The sooner this is over, the sooner he is going to get the medical attention he needs."

"We will get to him as soon as we can, what about Lennox? That wound to his head looks bad." Optimus's voice sounded grave.

"Tera would be better at healing the human, my chief concern is Sideswipe." Ratchet declared.

"I can't just stand here and watch this!" Ironhide charged the shield, but couldn't get through; it was like trying to move in jello. All he accomplished was getting pushed back to his own side, unharmed. He looked the direction the motorcycles had gone, then transformed and headed the opposite way, hugging the shield.

Optimus watched him go, but couldn't pull himself away from Tera, if this was the only way that he could support her, so be it, he would give her whatever support he could, and be here if she needed him. He just hoped it was enough.

Tera aimed at the bubble of power she had formed behind Starscream, and released the power arrow as she ran towards Lennox. Before the arrow struck its target she threw a shield around Sideswipe as protection from the starburst of fire that began raining down on that half of the clearing after the arrow hit the power bubble. The raining fire did its trick of confusing the Decepticons enough to give her a head start.

She jumped over the outstretched arm of one of the Decepticons as he reached for her, and kept running. Lennox was pounding on his shield, saw her heading for her and tried to wave her off. Tera kept running, her mind focused on one thing; getting to him. It didn't matter if he hated her; all that mattered was that he was in danger, he was injured and he needed her. She still loved him; maybe what she did now wouldn't change anything, all she knew was that she had to try.

She heard the loud whine of an engine and looked up in time to see the sisters transform in mid air and launch themselves into battle with the Decepticon that had held Lennox. Tera growled in frustration, obviously her shield hadn't been as long as she had intended. There was no time to dwell on what her shield did or didn't do, she had to focus on the here and now, and now Starscream was directly in her path. She dropped to one knee and notched another power arrow as she aimed at Starscream. He raised a cannoned arm and smiled at her as he fired. Arrow and cannon attack collided in between their two targets and the blast blew Tera backwards several yards. She landed in an uncoordinated clump on the ground in front of the shield directly in front of Optimus.

"Tera drop the shield! Let me help you!" Optimus yelled to her.

Tera shook her head, trying to clear her vision. Behind her she could heard Ironhide taunting another of the Decepticons. Her shield had failed to protect them. With a moan she reached out to the shield, intending to reabsorb the power in it and accept Optimus' help, but a large metal foot stomped in her way.

"That was not very nice little Queen." Starscream sneered down to her.

Fear crept into Tera's heart as she stared up at Starscream. Laying on her back looking up at him she felt tiny, and vulnerable, doubt that she had ever been capable of taking him on alone clouded her vision, making him look larger then life. She pushed herself along the ground, backing away from him, and from her shield. If she could drop it, Optimus could make quick work of Starscream. Why had she thought she had to do this on her own? Why had she deviated from the plan?

"I wondered how hard it would be to capture you. I never knew it would be this easy." Starscream continued from above her. Taking a step forward as she continued to back away. "You made it so easy for me, by providing protection from Prime, I really should thank you. It will be so nice to have all that power that you posses to bend to my will."

A silver triangular blade was suddenly stuck in Starscream's shoulder. The Decepticon staggered back several steps and stared in disbelief at the blade protruding from him.

"Now Tera!" Sideswipe yelled from behind her. "Get to Optimus!"

It took Tera's brain a few seconds to register; a quick glance at Sideswipe confirmed that he had thrown the blade. The wounded Autobot motioned for her to reach the shield. Tera scrambled to her feet and sprinted. All she needed to do was touch it, and it would reabsorb into her power crystal. Fingers outstretched she reached for it; her fingertips were nearly to it when she took a hit to her right side as the third Decepticon that had been with Starscream attacked her. Tera rolled with the momentum from the Decepticon and reached with her still good left arm for the shield. Warm healing power was already flowing to the right side of her body. Her fingertips connected and the shield dissolved.

Cannon at the ready Optimus charged for the Decepticon that now loomed over Tera.

Starscream wrenched the blade from his shoulder and threw it to the ground in frustration. His left arm wasn't responding as it should, at least his wing wasn't damaged he thought to himself. Nothing had gone as he had hoped, he had assumed that the queen would back down from any fight, that's how the rest of her kind had behaved, except for the first queen he had dealt with so long ago. Now looking around he could see the Decepticon far to his right barely holding his own against the three smaller Autobots. The Decepticon far to his left was struggling badly with the large black Autobot. The bright yellow medical bot ran right by Starscream and headed for the Autobot that had been his prisoner.

Optimus was making quick work of the Decepticon that had nearly had the little queen. The queen! Where was she! Looking around, he searched for the small blue alien among the carnage. He spotted her on her way to the human, and in her path…_Deadset may be useful after all, _Starscream thought with a grin.

Tera struggled to get far enough away from the Decepticon to allow Optimus freedom of movement without worrying about squishing her. Several near misses and a long jump had her back on the path to Will. Just as Tera thought she could get to him, the last of the Decepticons stepped in her way.

Deadset stepped forward, fighting blades at the ready. Tera staggered several steps before coming to a halt. The Autobots were all engaged in their own fights, she was alone. Before fear could creep back in Sideswipe's words came back to her, _'You think about what you can control, and you let the rest go.'_ Squaring her shoulders she absorbed the power bow, and created twin blades.

The world seemed to slow down, the background noises of cannons firing, and her friends fighting, faded. The only thing in her world that seemed real was the large purple tinted Decepticon before her.

Deadset made the first move, slicing for Tera's feet, she leapt over the blade, and nearly sliced her own head off when his other blade came close, Tera dodged backward and regained her footing. The Decepticon completed his spin and faced her again, his left blade rose to the level or her heart. With a sneer, the Decepticon laughed at her, "your playing with the big boys now, little Queen, better keep your head."

Tera swallowed hard, to many thoughts attacked her, were the others all right? Was Sideswipe getting the help he needed, if only she could get to Will! She was so caught up in her thoughts that Tera nearly missed that Deadset was charging again, this time with both blades forward. It took her brain to long register, and she was only able to scramble to one side tripping over her feet, but missed being run through by the Decepticons baldes.

"Dam it Tera! Focus! Think of his moves and your moves only!"

She hit the ground hard and rolled to her feet. Tera shook her head, she must have hit harder then she thought if she was hearing voices.

"Look up!"

Tera barely had time to glance upward and react before Deadset was on her; she took the blunt side of his blade to her stomach and flew backwards several yards landing hard on her back. Air rushed out of her lungs, and she gasped for a breath. Her lungs burned and her back ached from the fall. Healing heat flooded her body as Deadset reached her, the flat side of one blade pinning her to the ground, the other raised for a head shot, "you are mine now little Queen." Deadset declared with a wicked smile, his face just inches from hers.

Pinned Tera glanced widely around, and saw Sideswipe, struggling to stand in spite of Ratchet trying to keep him on the ground. "Tera!" the silver Autobot yelled.

Her shield pulsed in time with her heartbeat from the weight that Deadset was putting on it, Tera couldn't feel the load, just the immobility it caused. Sideswipe, Tera knew his voice better then anyone else's from this world, he was the one who had coached her. He knew what to do. Her eyes locked on the Autobot so close yet so far from her. Blue optics met dark blue eyes, and Tera knew what the Autobot would do.

Taking a deep breath despite of the burning from her lungs, Tera gathered power and used it to shove the Decepticon. Deadset was already off balance because of the angle he was leaning down at, so a hard shove at the right spot had him summer saluting off of her. Tera's blades were held before her at the ready as she rose to her feet. Deadset glared at her and spit out a mouthful of sod. "Foolish queen, this is no fight! I was trained by the best, you cannot beat me."

She ignored him, and listened to Sideswipe's advice from that night that felt so long ago, 'think about what you can control. You're breathing, your muscle tension, your blades and balance.' Tera took a deep breath, it hurt a little, a fast healing was fine for the moment, but later she would have to check herself. She forced her muscles to relax, to remain fluid and movable. Her blades gleamed a steady pale blue in the night. Her balance was never wonderful, so Tera made sure her feat were planted far enough apart to allow for sudden movements.

"Good Tera, now study him, which way is he leaning! He will telegraph his moves to you if you pay attention!" Sideswipe coached from behind her.

"Shut up, this fight is between the Queen and I!" Deadset bellowed to Sideswipe.

Not waiting for him to attack this time, Tera charged, right blade leading, left blade low. Deadset was about the same height as Sideswipe, but she had never advanced to actually attacking in their practice. The only reference she had was when she had watched Sideswipe and Ironhide spar that one weekend. She expected him to dodge to the left away from her, so she spun with him as she passed, slicing along the midsection with her left blade. It was a hit, but a minor one.

Deadset dropped to a knee and kicked out with one of his legs as she struck his stomach. In a fluid motion Tera absorbed the swords power and launched herself in a dive over the Decepticon's leg, she hit the ground and summersault rolled to her knees. For the first time since the battle started Tera had an unobstructed view of Lennox where he was trapped in the energy dome. Her eyes locked on the humans and her focus slipped. Lennox stared back at her, mouth slightly open as if he were going to yell something to her; before he could speak he doubled over with a wracking cough. Tera's fingertips tingled with healing energy, and her throat felt swollen with emotion. At the end of the cough, Lennox spat blood on the ground before looking back to Tera. The look in his eyes as when they focused on Tera was apologetic.

"Tera focus!" Sideswipe yelled from behind her.

Still on her knees, Tera tore her eyes away from Lennox; she could feel the air above her grow heavy, her only warning of the imminent attack. She rolled hard to her right several lengths, toward the tree line, stopping long enough to catch a glimpse of Deadset pursuing her, his blades held high for an attack. Tera used power to push her to her feet mid roll, and spun to face him, a new pair of blades gleamed in her hands.

"Good Tera, now watch his body, look for subtle motions!"

"Sideswipe if you don't sit still, I will sit on you!" Ratchet yelled to his unruly patient.

She weighed her options for a moment, then turn and ran towards the nearest tree. She leapt as far up the tree as she could, using power to balance herself she pushed off from the tree and spun mid air to meet Deadset's charge. The Decepticon had a split second to recognize the attack, and defend it. The blade in Tera's left hand made it past his block and stuck in his shoulder.

She let go of the blade in her left hand, leaving it in the Decepticon, and dropped to her feet. Tera created a new blade and held both of them up in time to block Deadset's one-handed attack, his right arm hung useless at his side. Tera faked to her right and spun to her left, slicing out with both blades, she took out Deadset's right leg and the Decepticon fell hard to the ground.

"Good Tera! Now don't hesitate!" Sideswipe called.

Tera turned back to her fallen opponent who was glaring at her, and paused. Her opponent was a monster, but she couldn't help but wonder if he could change, if part of him was good still.

"If you don't kill me little Queen, I can promise you I will do my best to kill you." Deadset challenged as Tera approached him. Both her blades pointing towards the fallen Decepticon.

"Second chances are possible for every creature under the stars." Tera kept both swords pointed at him, her muscles tense as she approached him.

"Decepticons don't believe in second chanced, or mercy for that matter!" Deadset swung out at the blue alien with his still good left arm.

Tera blocked the attack easily, and jumped a step back. Deadset used the momentum from the attack to roll to his side, his hand changed to a blaster and aimed at Sideswipe and Ratchet.

What she wouldn't do for herself, she would do for others. Tera didn't think, just reacted, with her friends in danger, she attacked. Deadset never saw the kill blow coming, one moment he was taking aim at the Autobots, the next twin blue blades of power were coming out of his chest where his spark chamber was. The Decepticon had enough energy to look to his wounded chest, before falling dead to the ground.

Ironhide had once told Sideswipe that it was far harder to watch a fight when it was someone you loved and had trained, then it was to be the one in the fight. Sideswipe had never had the experience before, had never had a student before. But watching Tera fight had been by far the most terrifying thing he had ever had to do. And being helpless hadn't helped his disposition. Now seeing his young friend standing over the corpse of her first kill he felt a pang of regret. She would never again be innocent, would never be able to take back that moment. Her kind was peace loving, not hardened in battle like his had become.

For one moment Tera's eyes locked on Sideswipe's and he felt all his fears dissolve like the blades of power she reabsorbed into herself. Tera was a Queen. Born and bred to protect her people. She had been protecting himself and Ratchet, no matter what else was going through her mind at that moment, he knew that she knew her actions were more then justified. She was stronger, more mature after her first fight. Ready to lead and protect those she loved.

Pride filled Sideswipe as he regarded Tera from across the battlefield. A kind of pride he had never felt before. Her eyes stared into him, and he knew that in that moment she knew how much he loved her, and how proud he was of her. Slowly, she nodded to him, a salute to her teacher and friend. Emotion filled the Autobot as he nodded back. Tera gave him the ghost of a smile, before spinning on her heal and running toward Lennox.

Tera ran as fast as she could toward the human. Her bow of power was in her hand again, arrow notched and aimed just above Lennox's head.

"Behind you!" Lennox yelled from inside the dome of power, "behind you!"

Tera ignored him and shot her arrow, it struck the dome and shattered it, effectively freeing Lennox.

Before she could reach him, a large metal hand surrounded her, and lifted her from the ground. "Mine at last," Starscream hissed to her, his voice no longer held triumph, but a clear note of desperation.

Her bow of power vanished and she forced her body around so that she could see Starscream. He held her up close to his face, as if he were surveying his prize. "Your ancestors were smarter then you little Queen, and stronger then you could dream of. You resemble the last Queen that I dealt with, but lack her fire." He squeezed Tera a little, and she moaned in pain, "That last queen should have remembered that I promised her that her line would fail, and I intend to keep that promise, by killing you. After the Fallen is done with you that is."

"The last Queen didn't have me as her friend," Optimus said as his energon sword rested on Starscream's shoulder. The Decepticon he had been fighting lay dead several yards away.

"No, she is mine!" Starscream yelled as he tried to back away.

"Not the wisest move," Chromia said from behind him, all three of the motorcycles had their weapons trained on Starscream's back.

Behind Optimus, Ironhide had his cannons trained on the last surviving Decepticon.

Starscream narrowed his eyes and he surveyed his chances. "You want her? Catch her!" With a flick of his wrist he launched Tera skyward, while the Autobots moved to track her trajectory Starscream transformed to his F-22 form and flew as fast as he could not caring where he went as long as it was away.

The eerie sensation of being weightless, while not in space cleared Tera's mind. She saw everything from a height that she hadn't expected. The Decepticon that the sister's had torn to small pieces lay far ahead of Optimus. Ironhide had made a hole in the Decepticon he had been fighting large enough for her to stand up in. Sideswipe lay on the ground with Ratchet hovering over him. A liquid sounding cough pulled her attention to the human far below her, Will.

A large, gentle hand closed carefully around her, and the strong feeling that she was safe at last filled her. Tera looked up in to Optimus Primes worried face and smiled. Her throat closed with to many emotions, it seemed her native form was becoming as emotional as her human one. Tera had the bizarre feeling of drowning in emotions, relief that she was safe, gratitude to Optimus and the others for saving her, gratitude to Ratchet that he would be able to fix Sideswipe, and relief that her guardian was safe again.

The multitude of emotions forced her throat closed. Tera closed her eyes for a moment and thanked the Stars, that all had turned out well. When she looked up again she found it impossible to express in words what she felt. She hugged the only part of the large Autobot that she could, his thumb. Tera didn't know how to say all that she wanted to. After a moment she looked up and knew that he understood. Optimus dropped his face shield and studied the small alien. She could see the worry lines dissolve from his metal features and were slowly replaced by a gentle serenity.

Optimus worked his mouth a few times before being able to say, "I am just glad you are safe."

The liquid cough sounded again from far below them. Without needing to be asked, Optimus lowered her to the ground. Tera ran for the human, changing to her human form as her strides shortened to accommodate human leg length. Lennox watched in disbelief as she approached him.

No awkward moment for Tera, no doubts about her feelings. She threw herself into Lennox's arms and held on as if her life depended on it. Her left hand fisted in his hair pulling him closer, her right leg wrapped around his body. Contact was all that was required for her healing powers to flow into him, and contact was all she wanted. She needed the flesh-to-flesh reassurance that he was alive and healing. Her lips found his, no gentle child exploring her first kiss this time; she had grown and matured more in the past week then any other point in her life. As their lips moved in a dance of emotions Tera was able to see his memories, see what he had been through. Through Lennox's eye she could see what he had when the hologram of himself had broken her heart, she could feel his emotions, taste his regrets.

Healing heat flowed between them, the gash on Lennox's forehead knit back together, the blood poisoning from the wound that had caused the cough, and fever, was cleansed by Tera's power.

Lennox broke the kiss, "I'm sorry, I didn't do or say any of tha-"

Tera kissed him again, needing the contact, needing him. Behind her she could hear the Autobots speaking in low voices about where to discard the Decepticon parts. That wasn't her concern, the only thing she wanted for this moment was Will.

"Tera," Lennox whispered, then he trailed kisses from her jaw to her ear, "I'm sorry." He whispered in her ear.

The liquid in his lungs was gone each breath came easier, the gash was healed, the crusted blood covered new pink skin. Tera leaned back, the healing complete, she regarded her patient and saw the human who had taught her what love was. "I know it wasn't you, I know everything."

"Just like that?" Lennox asked.

Tera looked up into his brown eyes and felt a part of her melt, "just like that." She answered the question in his eyes, not the one he had spoken aloud. It took all of Tera's will to turn away from Lennox, but she did. Squeezing her eyes closed for few seconds to stop the tears from falling, Tera walked away from him.

Ratchet looked up at Tera as she approached where he knelt by Sideswipe. Ratchet already had the energon leak in Sideswipe's chest patched, and his hip joint back in place. She gave the medical officer a brief smile, then turned her attention to her guardian. Before she could tell him how sorry she was, Sideswipe shook his head, "It was not just my duty to protect you, it was an honor."

Her throat closed with emotions, "the honor, was mine my friend" she said in a whisper. She had told him about every dream she had about the old Queen, now she told him about the last. No worlds needed to be spoken between them, just simple contact. Tera placed a hand on the Autobot and showed him her dream. She had done this before when they were alone but this time was different. She didn't stop with just the dream; Tera showed him her emotions, how much she had come to love him. And how much she was going to miss him when she went home.

Sideswipe regarded his small friend with a nod, "when?" his voice sounded rough with emotions.

"I was warned that if I stay here to long, hope for my world would die with me. Its already hard enough to leave." Tera said. Keeping her hand on his arm Tera began slowly passing power into him, replacing the lost energy and furthering the healing that Ratchet had started.

Optimus approached her from behind and knelt by Sideswipe, Ratchet took a few steps back to give them privacy. Behind them, Tera could hear Lennox apologizing to Ironhide.

"Tera, you must do what heart tells you is right." Optimus said looking down on her.

A nod was her only answer.

"Being a great leader is not simply protecting those you love, its being big enough to realize when you need help, and asking for it." Optimus told her.

Tera looked up at him, the great Optimus Prime, her friend. She took the crystal from her neck, and held it out to him. "There is enough energy stored in the crystal to keep all of you with power for tens of thousands of years." She used power to float the crystal up to Optimus. "Please take it and keep it safe. It will act as a beacon to my kind, they will know whoever holds this crystal is a friend and ally."

Optimus held his hand out and nodded as he accepted the crystal. "I will keep it safe, and any of your kind that are drawn to it."

"If any come, tell them that home is being rebuilt. And that we will have our place back among the stars." Tera closed her eyes for a moment, hoping that what she said would soon be true, "thank you, for everything." She looked down from his large face and found Lennox staring at her.

"Just like that?" Lennox said as he approached them, "you're leaving?"

Tera blinked back the tears again as the human approached her. She could see a future here; a happy life, Will and her were compatible enough biologically to have children. She didn't know how, but she knew that for sure. For the briefest moment she allowed herself to picture those children and that life, just a moment to savor what could have been. "I have to go, my world needs me."

"I need you." Will said, his voice barley above a whisper.

Tera took a step towards him, "you have everything you need here, family, friends." Slowly she laced her fingers with his, "I want that, I want that for my kind." Slowly she changed from human to her native form. As her true self she stood nearly two feet above Lennox. It made her smile that he didn't take a step away from her, or let go of her hand.

"Tera…" Will breathed; his eyes were moist from tears.

Sideswipe cleared his throat, still holding Will's hand, Tera turned to face him. "You will always have a place here, family here." Sideswipe declared.

Tera stepped away from Will long enough to kiss Sideswipe's cheek, then she stepped back. "Thank you, all of you, for everything. I have learned more then I can say. If you ever need a safe haven among the stars, we would welcome you like family." Tera tapped one of the jewels on the bracelet that she always wore; her ship arrived within moments in response.

"Give my love to Sam, and Mikaela, and Judy and Ron. And tell Bumblebee thank you and that I will miss him." Tera's voice sounded thicker then usual as her emotions began to slip the leash.

"We will tell them that you fought bravely, and wisely, and that you have gone to give you kind a very special gift, the gift of a second chance." Optimus assured her.

She forced herself to look at each of them one last time. Chromia stood next to Ironhide, one hand on his bulky forearm, and the other rose in a sign farewell. Arcee and Moonracer stood next to one another, both waving a hand in farewell. Ratchet stepped closer to Sideswipe and placed a friendly hand on the silver bots shoulder, offering silent support. Sideswipe, her guardian and friend, she memorized every aspect of his face, forcing the tears to stay at bay a moment longer so they wouldn't blur her vision. Looking up she stared at Optimus Prime, her teacher, and friend. He was a truly great leader, much loved by those who he commanded; she sent a small prayer to the stars that she could one day be like him. She would never forget his words of wisdom he had offered her, or the kindness he had shone to a lone alien who had been lost among the stars in need of a safe haven, and friends.

Last her eyes fell on Will, and she nearly lost the willpower to return home. Her eyes searched his face, making a mental image to carry in her heart. For the briefest of moments she saw what her life could be again, she saw her children with Will, a boy and a girl, both with brown hair and blue eyes playing happily with the Autobots. She saw herself as an old human with silver hair that matched Sideswipe. She saw Will as an old man, and could feel his arms around her, his lips moving with her own. Tera closed her eyes and savored what life could have been. Then opened them again, blinking away the tears.

With a last smile to her friends, Tera turned to her ship and began the journey home to rebuild. To no longer be an alien on a foreign world, but to return home and break the Decepticon's promise.


End file.
